Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear
by Invisible Love
Summary: Sakura Petala, an average girl, only expected to meet her favorite romance novelist. What she got instead was to be made Princess Pretear. Full summary inside. Expect lots of OC pairings.
1. Chapter 1: Contest Winner

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear **

**Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N: WHOO HOO! My FIRST Pretear fanfic EVER POSTED! I feel so emotional….sob But anyway, I do NOT own Pretear in any way, shape, or form. All I own is the story plot, OC's, and ABC gum. (Already Been Chewed) And you don't want THAT, do you? o.O Anywaaaayz, hope you enjoy!**

**CHAPTER 1:Contest Winner**

"WOW! So THIS is Awayuki Island!" Squealed a 16-year-old African-American girl as she pressed her face against the airplane window.

"MOVE OVER! LET ME SEE!" Her pale skinned friend shouted, shoving her out of the way. They were staring down at a snowflake-shaped island full of life and excitement.

"It's awesome, isn't it, Tenshi?" The African-American female asked her friend with lengthy mahogany hair, matching colored eyes and ice blue bangs. Tenshi was also wearing an ice blue tank top with a snow-white star in the middle, and cerulean baggy pants with a lopsided belt around her petite yet athletic waist.

"Totally!" Tenshi replied, grinning at her best friend, who was wearing a dark purple shirt that cut off one sleeve with a tie on the shoulder. Instead of the whole sleeve, on the 16-year-old's right forearm was part of the violet sleeve, which hugged her arm, starting at the elbow and ending at her wrist. On her legs was a pair of dark blue jeans with silver chains hanging from them, and on her feet were black sneakers that contrasted a lot from Tenshi's white sneakers. The African-American's semi-long oak wood brown hair reached past her shoulder blades and contained violet streaks through them, and she was wearing a black bandana with a yin-yang sign with purple cherry blossoms with black tiger strips on them protruding from the yin-yang sign on the bandana, and white letters below the sign displaying the phrase "Ota-Klan" was on it as well. She was also wearing a gold ring with her birthstone, the garnet, in the middle on her left ring finger, a mood ring, which was currently deep blue to signify she was in a calm enough mood on her right ring finger, and a purple gem flower necklace around her neck.

"…Though, it **would** be better if the island were shaped like a star…" Tenshi added in an afterthought as they began their descent on the island. Tenshi's best friend rolled her chocolate brown orbs.

"Pfft, you and your stars, Tenshi…" She said while staring out the window of the private jet they were riding in.

"Oh, YOU should talk, Cherry Blossom Princess!" Tenshi shot back, pointing an accusing finger at the silver letters engraved on her best friend's mood ring.

"Aw, Tenshi-chan, is that anyway to treat someone who's taking you on a once-in-a-lifetime trip?" The 'Cherry Blossom Princess' pouted, as her mood ring turned into a lighter, sad color of blue.

"Oh PUH-LEEZE, Sakura! I'm your best friend! It's SO COMPLETELY OBVIOUS that you'd take **me **of ALL people on this trip for two!" Tenshi stuck her tongue out at her mellow dramatic BFF. When she wasn't looking, Sakura stuck her tongue out as well. (**A/N: SAKURA! That's me! **)

Sakura had previously won a contest, judging on who was a bigger fan of Kaoru Awayuki's novels, and the prize for the contest winner was a trip to meet Kaoru Awayuki himself. Sakura Petala, being the novel fanatic that she is, of coarse won the contest and was allowed to bring one other person with her. Her parents threw a fit when they found out that Sakura would be bringing her 15-year-old best friend since 5th grade with her instead of a 'responsible adult,' but Sakura's grandmother vouched for her and told Sakura's parents off for not letting Sakura live her own life.

_Yeah…_ Sakura agreed silently as they began to touch down on the landing zone prepared for the jet. _I **should** be able to grow up. I'm **not** a little kid any more! I'm an adult now! I'm ready for **anything**!_ Suddenly, a big shadow passed over the jet, making it rock in the air and sending Sakura and Tenshi flying.

"Except for that!" Sakura exclaimed out loud, fighting to get up on her feet.

"What was that, Sakura-chan?" Tenshi asked in confusion, already on her feet. Sakura, realizing she had said that last thought out loud, shook her head.

"It's nothing." She denied, finally getting to her feet. "Any idea what the heck that shadow deal was all about?" The 16-year-old changed the subject, taking a quick glance out of the window. Tenshi went over to the window as well to find some sort of evidence to prove what caused all the commotion. When she found none, she pulled back, sighing and shaking her head.

"Whatever it **was**, it's gone now." She confirmed, flipping her ice blue bangs out of her eyes.

Just then, the speakers overhead crackled into life, and the pilot's voice was heard, sounding a **bit** like forced calm. "**We apologize for the rough landing, we had a bit of…turbulence there…**" The two teens could hear the pilot and co-pilot coughing. "**Nonetheless, we have arrived at Awayuki Private Airport, so will all passengers please exit the jet in an orderly fashion.**"

"Why don't they just say: '**Will the 2 teenage girls enjoying themselves in the VIP section of the jet just get the heck out already!**' " Tenshi exasperatedly asked as she lugged her bags to the opened jet door.

"Aw, c'mon, they're just being proper." Sakura replied, while her mood ring glowed green, signaling that she was in a jubilant and excited mood.

"Yeah? Well, if they get TOO proper, I'm outta here and you're on your own, buddy!" Tenshi proclaimed, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Sakura merely chuckled at her 15-year-old best friend's childishness.

Once they were out of the jet, they reached a stubby little man with a 'chrome dome' head and gray hair sprouting out of what little hair he had at the back of his bulbous head, and glasses that shined blindingly when they caught the light. He was also wearing chauffeuring clothes. When approaching him, Sakura had to shield her poor eyes from his laser-beam glasses.

"Ohayo, watashi wa Sakura Petala. I'm assuming that **you** must be Mr. Tanaka?" The African-American female queried, stretching out her hand, which Mr. Tanaka shook energetically for his age.

"Ah, yes, **you're** the girl from Kyoto who won the contest, am I correct? Yes, I am Mr. Tanaka. I have been serving the Awayuki household for more than 25 years. Now if you'll kindly step into the vehicle, we can be on our way to the Awayuki Mansion." The two BFF's glanced at each other, shrugged, overwhelmed Mr. Tanaka with their entire luggage, and got into the backseat of the car. Once Mr. Tanaka was done stuffing all of their bags into the trunk, he got in on the driver's side of the car and sped off toward the Awayuki Mansion.

**The Awayuki Mansion**

"Well, THIS is the Awayuki Mansion!" Mr. Tanaka exclaimed as he, Sakura and Tenshi stood in front of the steps of the Awayuki Mansion, the girls gawking up at its magnificent size.

"…Sugoi…" Sakura breathed.

"Duuuuuuuuude…." Said Tenshi, awestruck. She then turned towards Mr. Tanaka. "So…so can we go in…?" She asked in anticipation for Sakura, who was still staring up at the mansion that made her house look like a mouse hole in a wall.

"…Unfortunately…No, you can't…" Was Mr. Tanaka's reply. That was enough to shock Sakura out of her 'admiring' mode and whip around to face the balding man next to them.

"WHAAAAAT? But…but **why**? I was **specifically **told that we would **stay **in the Awayuki Mansion with the Awayuki family! I was told JUST THAT!" Sakura stated, (**More like shouted**) a little alarmed and ticked-off that the plans had changed so abruptly.

Mr. Tanaka re-adjusted his glasses, causing them to gleam brightly. "The reason you cannot enter is because the whole Awayuki family is out for the day and I have no spare key, so there's absolutely no way of getting in…WITHOUT breaking anything!" He finished, seeing Sakura and Tenshi open their mouths. The two teens quickly shut their air holes to prevent the idiotic things they were about to say from escaping.

"However, you two are free to explore the grounds while I complete the rest of the tasks that I was assigned earlier this morning." And with that, Tanaka headed off to Kami-knows-where to do Kami-knows-what. The two best friends stared after him. All that went through Sakura's head at that moment was: _…Who in their right mind would leave the house when they're expecting company?_

**Elsewhere**

"**WIND SWORD!**" A woman in strange clothing shouted, stabbing a beastly thing in the yellow and black-slitted pupiled eye on its stomach. The beast gave a loud cry, and then crumbled to ashes. The woman touched down onto the ground, and with a large gust of wind, was dressed in a normal white summer dress with a man beside her in a weird blue cloak-like garment.

"Well done." The man complimented the woman beside him. She smiled slightly.

"Thanks, but now we **really **have to go. Our guest could have already arrived by now!" She yelled, distressed, and started to madly dash towards who-knows-where. The man cursed under his breath and added as he caught up with the woman,

"Of ALL days, why did a seed have to attack TODAY!"

**Back At the Awayuki Mansion**

"What the hell are we** supposed **to be exploring, exactly?" Sakura groaned as she and Tenshi wandered through the Awayuki Private Garden. "I'm bored to **DEATH**!" The African-American continued to complain as she inspected a near-by tree with no great interest. A sneaky yet playful smirk found its way up to Tenshi's face.

_**I** know a fun game we can play, Sakura-chan…_ The 15-year-old thought evilly. Swiftly but nonchalantly, Tenshi waltzed up behind Sakura and slapped her on the back. **HARD.** "OWW! Shiitake, what the HELLO OPERATOR was THAT for Gollum!" Was Sakura's instant reply as she rubbed her now **very **sore back.

"TAG! YOU'RE IT!" Tenshi yelled, ignoring Sakura's usage of her hated nickname and her dubbed curses as she sprinted past, laughing like a maniac. The 16-year-old's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Oh, you're gonna get it now, Cave Troll!" Sakura shrieked, as she chased after her deranged friend, her mood ring flashing a dangerous and violent red.

"I'M NOT A CAVE TROLL, IDIOT!" Tenshi yelled.

"I'M NOT AN IDIOT, CAVE TROLL!" Sakura roared back.

"BEWII!" Tenshi squealed. (**Yup, had to do it, Tenshi! **) Sakura tried her best to catch up with Tenshi, but the darn cave troll was just too fast for her.

Within seconds, Sakura had lost sight of Tenshi completely.

Starting to get a little worried, (**The black color starting to take over her mood ring said so.**) the Cherry Blossom Princess searched left and right, high and low, and in any other direction she thought Tenshi might be hiding. Needless to say, she wasn't **exactly** watching where she was going as her search for Tenshi continued. (**Well, would YOU be able to watch in front of you while walking backwards on a search for a friend? What, do you have eyes in the back of your head or something? Are you some kind of freak of nature? Hm?**)

So the next thing the 16-year-old knew, she was on the ground, having run into something **VERY** hard. "…Itee…" Sakura muttered, rubbing yet **another** part of her body that was sore: her buttocks. Just then, a shadow cast over her, causing Sakura to slowly look up. There was a guy looming over her, who looked about 17 to 18 years old. He had long auburn hair that reached and stopped past his shoulder blades, and fierce, yet somehow lonely, eyes the same color of his hair. He had a slightly pointed face, and as Sakura stared on, she could see his face was twisted into a slight scowl. The strange boy was wearing a red button-up shirt, with the first few buttons undone, showing off some of his muscular chest,(**drool**) beige jeans, a black sports watch on his right wrist, and a pair of black and blue sneakers.

It took all of Sakura's will power to keep the drool in her mouth that was threatening to overflow as she stared up at the good-looking man, a slight blush tinting her cheeks when he suddenly spoke. "What the hell is **wrong **with you? Do you run into EVERY stranger you come across!" The auburn hair and eyed boy barked. Sakura blinked.

"…What's wrong with me…? What's wrong with ME!" The angry she-beast screeched, scrambling to her feet. The little nagging voice in the back of her head conveniently named a conscience told her to just drop it and walk away, but hey, since when did Sakura listen to her conscience?

"Did I stutter?" The stranger's scowl became more defined. Sakura was slowly succumbing to her tiger instincts as she glared at the man in front of her.

"Look here, **boy**-"

" 'Boy'?" He snorted. "Hardly…."

"Okay then…what should I call you, besides Mr. Grumpy?" Asked the African-American female, folding her arms over her chest. The guy did a mean smile.

"You may call me…'Sir.' "

" '**SIR**'! **YOU'RE **not even **10 **years older than me, it looks like, nor are you **royalty**!" Shouted a very pissed-off Sakura. The mysterious man rolled his eyes.

"Why not? I might as well be called a prince with how wealthy my family is…" He muttered.

"Naniyo? I didn't catch that…" Sakura questioned, confused. Mr. Grumpy shook his head, dismissing the subject.

"What are **you** doing wandering around the Awayuki grounds, eh? You could do some **serious **jail time for trespassing, you know…" Sakura's temper boiled over the surface. This; however, was not good, for Sakura was already under a lot of stress from losing contact with her best friend on unknown grounds, (**Sakura forgot she had her cell phone on her. So did Tenshi, apparently. And so did the authoress of this fanfic. **) and her getting angry (**With her mood ring glowing an infuriated red**.) only added to her stress level and raised her blood pressure. And when her blood pressure was raised, bad things happened…

"**ME? WHAT FLIPPIN' RIGHT DO YOU HAVE ASKING ME WHAT I'M DOING HERE! WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE, EH? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE! HUH?**" The auburn-haired guy winced at the tora-like female's yelling, but chose not to answer. She let out a strangled sigh. "If you **MUST** know, I'm looking for my friend who disappeared a while back, and I'm getting **extremely **worried, 'cause this is a **BIG** place and I **need** to find her soon, and **YOU** are wasting my **time **and my **life.** So just **STOP** asking me **STUPID** questions and **GET OUT OF MY WAY!**" Sakura exploded.

Then, she felt it. The feeling you get when you're about to pass out from being on a too high stress level. Her head started to spin as her eyes drooped and she swayed a little. Mr. Grumpy cocked an eyebrow. "What's up with you? Did all the yelling make you light-headed?" He smirked. Just as he finished that sentence, Sakura lost control of her body and fell forward.

"HEY!" The auburn-eyed boy protested, as the 16-year-old's head fell upon his shoulder. His reflexes; however, reacted differently. He placed his arms around Sakura so she wouldn't fall any further. Sakura managed to mutter a hushed "Thank you…" before her world went black.

**A/N: Ha! First chapter done! Oh so many questions to answer. Why did Sakura pass out like that? What is her ailment? Who is the mysterious auburn hair and eyed fellow? Where in the world is Tenshi? What do ANY of these people have to do with Pretear? Why the hell am I writing this in the middle of the night?…Oops, uh, you didn't need to hear that last statement…X( Eheheheh….Anyway, hold your wild animals! All will be revealed in the next chapter…maybe…MWAHAHAHAHAHA! But if I get no reviews, YOU don't get Chapter 2! HAHA! I'M SOOO EVIL! SO…REVIEW! **

**A/N2: This chapter has been edited. Every time I look back over this story, I cringe at the first few chapters, because I was a beginner and didn't quite get the concept of correct paragraphing just yet. X( So, I finally decided to change it. Here you go!**


	2. Chapter 2: Meet the Awayukis

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear **

**A/N: Hey minna-san! Yeah, so here's the second chapter. I know that probably most of you are pretty confused as to what the heck's goin' on, but stick with me, and I promise that this fanfic's gonna rock!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PRETEAR! ONLY OC'S! And my friend Tenshi Hikari rightfully owns herself and her favorite catchphrase: "BEWII!"**

**Tenshi Hikari: JEEZ! I didn't know you'd be THAT upset! Chill, won't you? And thanks for the advice, but you know me! I have a big mouth; so naturally, I'd have a lot to say! But I'll try for my best friend and 2nd reviewer! **

**Hiniku Shinderu: HI! Anyways, if you got bored with the descriptions, I'll try and cut down a little, okay? And of course, I'll add a translation for you! Ask and you shall receive! Ano, why would I kill you though? …Hey…If I kill you…I get my own account! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! J/K Again, arigato for letting me use your account! **

**Saphimire Karishnikova: Nice name! Hope I spelled it right. Thanks for the compliment, I know what a pain it is to have Writer's block…and Writer's cramp…X( Sometimes, it helps if you have an idea you want to write down for later into the story to just write it down and save it so you have thinking space for the events before it. Hope I could help! **

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Now, onward to the next chapter! X)**

**CHAPTER 2: Meet The Awayuki's**

Darkness. As far as the eye could see, there was darkness. Well, as far as Sakura's eyes could see, anyway. But she really knew that she had just passed out again, and her eyes were simply closed. Where she **was**; however, was still a mystery to her, and she didn't dare open her eyes in case it was somewhere unpleasant. Sakura thought back to the encounter she had with that pale skinned auburn haired and eyed boy earlier.

_Stupid bastard…it's HIS fault I'm in this situation in the first place._ The tora-like female thought bitterly. _He probably ditched me and ran off…but where AM I exactly? I can't be outside, because it sounds completely silent from where I'm…laying, I guess. Oh no... I'm probably in a DUNGEON or something! AHHH! Now I'll NEVER find Tenshi! TT_ Sakura's head rant was cut short by a gentle breeze caressing her face. She frowned. _Wind?_ The 16-year-old asked herself, as the breeze continued to tickle her face. _Wha-wait, is there a window open in here or something?_

Finally, not able to stand being kept in the dark about where she was any longer, Sakura allowed her eyes to flutter open gently. A pair of auburn eyes met her chocolate brown orbs. Mr. Handsome-but-Heartless (**snicker**) it seems; was surprised to see Sakura awake, but the other emotions going through his eyes Sakura couldn't read. The African-American now realized that she was resting on a plush bed in a GIGANTIC room.

The mysterious man was sitting next to Sakura on the bed, with his face hovering mere inches away from hers. When she realized this, her face fired up and her mood ring began to glow pink, just to show how embarrassed she truly was. _Stupid telltale ring…_ Sakura thought as she noticed its color. "…Are you okay?" Mr. Handsome-but-Heartless asked, his face still mere inches…no, scratch that…**fractions** of inches away from her face now, seeing as he bent further over her face, and his right palm was on her forehead to check for a possible fever.

Despite all this, and the fact that her face was blazing by now, Sakura managed to state calmly: "I'm fine, it happens all the time. And don't ask." She added, seeing him open his mouth to question her further. Sakura raised her head to get up and, forgetting how close the auburn-haired guy's face was, accidentally brushed her lips against his. He pulled back from the tora-like female quickly, blushing like mad.

Sakura sat up fully now, suddenly realizing the horrible situation she had just thrown herself into. She gazed at the boy who was sitting far opposite of her; staring back at her with a mortified expression. _Oh Kami! I can't BELIEVE what I just did, even if it **was** an accident! C'mon, Saku-chan, don't just sit there gawking at him! SAY SOMETHING! ANYTHING!_ The Cherry Blossom Princess scolded herself.

"HIRO!" A voice called throughout the…vicinity. (**Remember, Sakura still has no idea as to where the hell she is.**) The auburn-eyed guy jumped at the sound of the voice. "…Crap…" He muttered just loud enough for Sakura to hear.

"Hey, wait a minute!" The African-American half-shouted. "Where the hell am I?" Her panicked brown orbs rested on the huge window/doors to the balcony outside overlooking the Awayuki gardens. …_The…Awayuki gardens…?_ The 16-year-old questioned herself, her mood ring flashing a shade of confused yellow. Then it all hit her like a ton of bricks. "Oh. My. GOD! YOU BROKE INTO THE AWAYUKI MANSION AND BROUGHT ME IN WITH YOU! NOW WE'RE BOTH GONNA GO TO JAIL BECAUSE OF **YOU**!" Mr. Grumpy winced and sweat dropped at the angry tora-like teen's yelling.

"Not quite…" He answered distractedly; whoever was in the house with them had heard Sakura's angry shrieks, and was making their way up the steps to the room the two teens were in.

Sakura heard the footsteps echo up the numerous stairs on the Awayuki staircase, and began to panic. _I gotta get outta here!_ She hurriedly got to her feet, but another wave of nausea hit her and overwhelmed her once more. Her supposedly 'kidnapper' saw her swoon before falling back onto the vast bed, and rushed to her side.

"You are **so **not alright!" He declared, dismissing her earlier claim to be fine. "You need to lay here and rest for a while." He said, his hand firmly pressing against her forehead again.

"Oh no you don't!" Sakura slapped the auburn-haired guy's hand away from her forehead. "As soon as I 'rest,' **you'll** just bolt, leaving **ME** to take the blame for breaking into the Awayuki Mansion!" She proclaimed, struggling with herself to stand up. Mr. Handsome-but-Heartless sighed heavily and put a hand to **his** forehead to massage it.

"I **DIDN'T **break in!" He insisted. "So you can relax and **REST**!" He emphasized the word 'rest' by pushing the paranoid 16-year-old back onto the bed, her head flopping onto the feathery pillow. She defiantly sat back up.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Mr. Grumpy pushed her back down, with more force this time.

"I **said** lay down!" He growled, with somewhat of a dangerous edge to his voice. But hell would freeze over before Sakura would go down without a fight.

"NO!" She shouted stubbornly while sitting up again. The auburn-haired man pushed her back down again and, before the tora-like teen could sit back up, climbed onto the bed and straddled her hips. This action, needless to say, freaked Sakura out immensely.

"AAAAAAUUUUUGGH! SOMEBODY HELP! RAPE!"

"HOLD STILL!"

"WHY! SO YOU CAN RIP MY CLOTHES OFF?"

"NO, THAT'S **NOT** WHAT I'M TRYING TO---OWW!"

He howled in pain. In a panic, Sakura had whipped out her trusty yet freakishly huge frying pan, (**Otherwise known as Daddy Frying Pan. He's MINE! I OWN HIM!**) and whacked the auburn-eyed pervert over the head with it. **HARD.** With a new fat lump on his head, and an angry vein threatening to burst, Mr. Grumpy snatched the accursed giant frying pan away from his offender's hands. He then grabbed both of her wrists and pinned them down on either side of the African-American's head. "LET ME **GO**!" The Cherry Blossom Princess objected with a hint of desperation in her voice, fighting to break free of her auburn-hair and eyed oppressor.

"I'm **NOT **going to let you go until you **SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!**" He shouted back, his grip tightening on her wrists with his face hovering dangerously close to hers. **Again.**

_Is he TRYING to kiss me this time!_ Her mind thought wildly, but Sakura quickly pushed the outrageous thought away.

"LIKE **HELL** I WILL!" The 16-year-old female hissed while continuing to struggle against the equally aggressive male on top of her. Suddenly, the door to the room they were in flew open with great force, and the resulting bang against the wall was so loud that it made both Sakura and Mr. Handsome-but-Heartless stop bickering long enough to look around for the source of the noise.

"Hiro! What's going on in-" The man standing in the doorway started to scold, but stopped short when he saw the position his son and some girl were in. (**In case you don't know, straddling someone is a VERY awkward position for someone to find you and another person in, or vise versa.**) The man looked very close to his forties, but was very muscular, with deep blue eyes and long blue hair, like the sky, and small wrinkles pattering his nonetheless handsome face. He was wearing a white trench coat, an aquamarine jersey-like shirt, light blue jeans, and dark blue shoes. (**Guess who it is. Guessing right equals NOTHING! Guessing wrong equals a special prize…**)

The guy straddling Sakura, now known as Hiro, quickly jumped off of her and approached his father with the caution of a zebra approaching a pack of starving carnivores. "Dad, I SWEAR, this ISN'T what it looks like…" Hiro tried to reason with his father, who glared back at him.

"Sure it isn't…" Said father mocked his son. "And to think that I actually believed you when you said you'd be in -----nia all day training." Sakura frowned at not being able to catch the name of the place her captor was supposed to be training; a door that slammed somewhere in the mansion saw to that.

"I WAS, Dad! I just came back for a break and then I ran into-"

"Excuse me," The 16-year-old finally spoke up, putting the two angry men's conversation to a halt. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I'd really like to know what's going on." What the 2 men were arguing about had confused Sakura to no end. I mean, what was the big damn deal! Hiro claimed that he was just taking a break from training from **wherever **his father had said, so shouldn't his dad believe him? Did the shrewd man have a good reason **NOT** to believe his own son? Possibly, had Hiro's father found him and another girl in a similar position to the awkward one that he had walked in on with Sakura and Hiro? Was **that** the reason that Hiro's own father didn't trust or believe him?

Hiro's dad stared open-mouthed at Sakura for a few moments, then rounded on Hiro again. "You **DRUGGED** her! Hiro, that is the **LOWEST **thing you have **EVER **done to get a girl in bed with the exception of bribery!" Hiro winced. Sakura sweat dropped. Apparently, Hiro's paranoid dad had taken Sakura's confusion entirely the wrong way.

"**NO**! Geez, Dad! I **SO** did **not** drug her! **Please **talk some sense into my dad! Onegai?" Hiro pleaded, turning towards the tora-like teen. Sakura opened her mouth to vouch for poor Hiro, when a thought struck her. Wait a minute…why was she **helping **this jerk?

/_Well, that 'jerk,' as you say, helped YOU when you managed to faint yet **again.**_ / Her conscience spoke up.

_YOU AGAIN? Geez, why don't you LEAVE already!_ Sakura shouted at her conscience, which recoiled.

/_Geez, ya try to help someone to do the right thing…Now I know how Jiminy Cricket feels!_ / Her ego-damaged conscience spat before cutting off their mind link, leaving Sakura to do whatever she damn well pleased.

"Well, sir, I- can't say I remember what happened or what I'm doing here in the first place…" Sakura stated with a dead serious look. After all, it **was** half true.

The deep-blue eyed man glared fiercely at Hiro, who paled considerably under his father's gaze. "I- she's LYING! C'mon, Dad, d'you **really **think I'd actually **drug **someone to get them into bed!" Hiro desperately tried to reason with his deranged father. The man raised an eyebrow and gripped his chin thoughtfully.

"Well…"

"No, never mind, don't answer that…" Hiro dismissed the subject, rubbing his sore temple and knowing his dad's personality **way** too well to expect him to be entirely serious in judging his own son's character.

"Daddy, what's with all the yelling?" A new voice rang throughout the mansion. Hiro's father, Hiro himself, and Sakura all turned towards the hallway to see a teen-age girl bounding up the steps and skidding to a halt right next to her supposedly father. She was, literally, a female version of Hiro. The only differences was that she had waist-length auburn hair with natural pink streaks, matching auburn eyes with a blue twinkle in them, she was wearing a white summer dress and was an inch shorter than Hiro, and the fact that she was a female. There are probably many personality differences as well, but we'll get to that later.

The female Hiro double was inspecting the scene in front of her. Suddenly, her face split into a devilish grin. "Oooooh, **busteeeeed**!" She taunted, waving an accusing finger in front of Hiro's face.

"Shut up, Hitori! You're not making anything any better!" Hiro snarled. Hitori's eyes widened.

"Oh! Are you in so much trouble that you're BEYOND help?" She clucked her tongue. "Oh my poor little brother!"

"Quit calling me that!" Hiro hissed, obviously annoyed. "Just because you're 5 seconds older than me-"

"-Means that **I'm **superior!" Hitori finished with a smug look on her face. _They're twins!_ Sakura suddenly realized, watching Hiro glare at Hitori, who merely stuck her tongue out at him.

"So Daddy, is Hiro in trouble? He is, isn't he? Ah, life is good! So what did he do? **Please **tell me he's in trouble! Does it have something to do with that girl over there?" Hitori pestered her father while pointing at Sakura. All her father managed to say was,

"Don't point, Hitori. It's rude." Just then, **another **person joined the confusing scene.

"What's going on?" The woman asked. She had shoulder-length reddish-brown hair pulled back into a ponytail with the ends fanning out, and matching colored eyes. She was wearing a white and elegant summer dress, like Hitori's, with matching white sandals, and a flower-patterned bag slung around her shoulder.

"Himeno…" Hiro and Hitori's father said, identifying the beautiful woman. Himeno turned towards him.

"Hayate, kids, what's going on?" She asked again. Hayate suddenly resumed glaring at Hiro, who was glaring at Hitori, who gleefully exclaimed,

"Hiro's in **trouble!** Again, life is GOOD!" Himeno didn't say anything, just quietly observed a fuming Hiro, an annoyingly curious Hitori, a worn-out Hayate, and finally, a forgotten and frustrated Sakura, who had long ago abandoned the hope of figuring out what the hell was going on.

Himeno the walked past her three bickering family members and straight to Sakura, who was surprised to see that she was getting attention from anyone in the room at all. The other three quit fighting to see what Himeno would do/say to Sakura. She smiled in a motherly kind of way towards the 16-year-old. "Hello, I'm Himeno Awayuki. Would I be right in presuming that you're Miss Sakura Petala?" The African-American blinked a couple of times out of shock of being addressed so properly, then immediately replied,

"Uh, yes I am! I am Kaoru Awayuki's contest winner!"

"I see. Then welcome to the Awayuki Mansion." Himeno greeted, but slightly frowned. "Ano, did you come alone? You were allowed to bring one other person with you…" Then it all came back to Sakura.

_Tenshi! Crap, HOW could I forget about my best friend! _The Cherry Blossom Princess slapped her forehead.

"**Stupid**!" She scolded herself. The Awayuki family was staring at her strangely, but Sakura didn't care. All that mattered now was finding Tenshi, safe and sound.

"Um, yes, I **did** bring someone along, but we got separated. She's about this tall, mahogany hair and eyes with ice blue bangs, pale skin with a few freckles, and goes by the name of-"

"Looking for me?" Questioned a certain mahogany hair and eyed girl with ice blue bangs, grinning toothily at Sakura from the hallway.

"**TENSHI!**" Sakura squealed, rushing past the Awayuki's and embracing her best friend. "You're alright!" The 16-year-old cried, immensely relieved at seeing her BFF again.

"I won't be any more if you don't let go!" Tenshi squeezed out with difficulty, her face turning a shade of her not-so-favorite color at the moment: Blue. Sakura finally let go, allowing Tenshi to breathe again with Sakura grinning apologetically beside her.

"How did you get in here?" The African-American queried, once Tenshi was able to catch her breath.

"We found her on the front porch steps." Hayate answered, smiling slightly. "She looked really frustrated, and kept banging her cell phone on the steps." Sakura then remembered her own cell phone in her pocket, and she grew serious.

"Tenshi, why didn't you try and call me on my cell? I was really worried!" Sakura questioned.

/_Yeah, right, like YOU bothered to try and contact HER at all, Miss I-Forgot-About-My-Cell-Phone-In-My-Pocket! _/ Her conscience scoffed. Tenshi frowned.

"I **DID** try to call you! 16 times! **THAT'S** why I was smashing my phone against the stairs! I thought it was broken! But then I realized that SOME ONE forgot to turn her cell phone back on after we got off the jet!" Tenshi accused, eyeing Sakura, who sweat dropped and rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.

"Eh heh heh, oh yeah…" The 16-year-old laughed nervously, recalling that they were required to switch their cell phones off during the jet ride, and how she forgot all about it once they were on land again.

"…Baka…" Was all Tenshi said while rolling her eyes.

"So, uh, Mrs. Awayuki?" Sakura called to Himeno, who was still smiling brightly. "Uh, where exactly IS Mr. Kaoru Awayuki?" Sakura asked; that question had been bothering her for a while now.

"Ah, I **would** answer that question now, Petala-chan, but I am **STARVING!** Let's discuss this over lunch, shall we?" Himeno insisted, leading both Tenshi and Sakura down the stairs and to the dining room.

Hayate and Hitori shrugged and followed Himeno, while Hiro, reluctantly, tagged along.

**A/N: Whew! Second chapter done. Damn, hand cramp suck. And I really need to stop writing this stuff at night…then again; night is when I am most creative. Okay, for those who guessed Hayate's identity right, as promised, you get ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Except for the satisfaction of being right. And those who guessed WRONG, (Whether intentionally or just plain stupid.) You get…(drum roll) A THOUSAND BAKA SLAPS! (Baka slaps those who guessed wrong. Ha!) Know why? Because even an idiot with half a brain who was a true hardcore Pretear fan would have figured out that the handsome devil was Hayate! C'mon, people, the blue hair and eyes were a damn given! You know what? I changed my mind, peoplez who guessed right, you get Hayate plushies! (Throws Hayate plushies) Anywayz, Questions? Comments? Concerns? Jokes? (I like jokes.) Put them all in your reviews! Review PLEASE!**

**-MuraSakura**

**Translations **

**Kami-God**

**Onegai-Please**

**Baka-Idiot or Fool**

**A/N2: This chapter has been edited, along with Chapter 1. Hopefully, this will turn less people off to my story when they see that the bad paragraphing and what-not have disappeared. XD**


	3. Chapter 3: I'm the WHAT?

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear **

**A/N: AAAARGH! I got sooo frustrated with my computer screwing up that I had to write this ONE SECTION over again, three times! Uh, yeah, so, here's Chapter 3.**

**Disclaimer: Do I REALLY have to say this? Saying it will only make it truer than it already is…(Receives glares from Kaori Naruse and Junichi Satou.) ALL RIGHT ALREADY! (Sigh) I DO NOT own Pretear in any way shape or form. The evil people making me write this do. But the plot and OC's are MINE!…And Tenshi is Tenshi's. (Gets a treat for being good) OOH! COOKIE! MINE!**

**Restlessloner: Ha ha, really? Something similar happened with me and my first mood ring, but it was at a soccer field and I never saw it again… Oooh, was I MAD! **

**Invisible Love: I'm glad you thought the last chapter was funny, Hiniku. That's what I was aiming for! Oh, and the rating's back to normal, so you can stop cowering in that corner…(sweatdrop)**

**Tenshi Hikari: Ah shaddup. BTW, when will your next chapter be up?**

**DarkAngelMizuki: (Sweatdrop)….I have said it before, and I'll say it again: I AM NOT INVISIBLE LOVE! My name is MuraSakura, and Hiniku (Invisible Love) has allowed me to use her account so I could post my story. Nonetheless, I hoped you liked my story, and will continue to read and review…whoever you are…**

**This chapter is dedicated to Saphimire Karishnikova and Tenshi Hikari for adding MY story to their favorites list. You guys are 'da BOMB! This one's for you!**

**CHAPTER 3: I'm the WHAT?**

"Oh, so Mr. Kaoru Awayuki is on vacation?" Questioned Sakura as she shoveled another forkful of food into her mouth. She, Tenshi, and the Awayuki family were seated around a classy dining table and were happily enjoying lunch. "Yes, he and Natsue, my step-mom, decided to take a trip to some hot spring in the mountains as a reward to Dad for working so hard on his books." Himeno answered. She was sitting across from Sakura, and both would smile pleasantly at each other when they caught the other's eye. Tenshi was sitting across from Hayate, and turned a light shade of red whenever he glanced her way.

"Sakura…" Tenshi whispered, prodding Sakura's arm. The 16-year-old inclined her head towards Tenshi, allowing her BFF to whisper into her ear without being overheard. "Is it **me, **or is Mr. Hayate **staring **at me whenever I glance his way?" Tenshi whispered almost eagerly, it sounded like, into Sakura's right ear. The African-American frowned, quickly glanced between Hayate and Tenshi, and then replied to the 15-year-old:

"It's **you**."

"Do you think-" Tenshi continued to whisper, ignoring her best friend's last comment. "-That, maybe, Hayate-sama might, you know-" Tenshi raised her eyebrows pointedly at Sakura, who raised an eyebrow of curiosity and confusion. The star-obsessed teen sweatdropped at her friend's denseness and blurted out (in a whisper, of course.) "He might LIKE me!"

"**NANI??**" Sakura screeched with a scandalized look on her face, forgetting to whisper; therefore, earning stares from everyone in the room.

"Have you TOTALLY gone whack??" She whispered furiously, resorting a little to her 'ghetto' language. "The guy's probably 40! And he's **married**!"

"It **could** happen!" Tenshi reasoned with a shining hope in her eyes. "And he looks **good **for a 40-year-old!" She added, drooling a little. Sakura shook her head and heavily sweatdropped, resisting the urge to hit her demented friend over the head with Daddy Frying Pan to bring her back into reality.

_Kai is **SO **not gonna like this…_ Sakura thought, referring to Tenshi's Russian crimson-eyed boyfriend back home in Kyoto. (**A/N: Yes, THAT Kai from BeyBlade. NOT MINE!**)

"Uh, so, Awayuki-san…" Sakura changed the subject to get her mind off things.

"Hai?" Himeno, Hayate, and Hitori, who was seated on Himeno's right, answered/asked. Hiro, sitting on his father's left, merely grunted. Sakura sweatdropped once more.

"Uh, I was talking to **Mrs.** Awayuki." Sakura corrected herself.

"Then you may call me Himeno." Himeno said, smiling. "It can get pretty confusing if you keep calling us by our surname, so feel free to call all of us by our given names. Your friend may as well." She included Tenshi, who grinned broadly in appreciation.

"Thanks, that saves **a lot** of confusion!" Sakura giggled a little. "You can call Tenshi and me by our first names too!" Sakura was tempted to shoot a pointed "Except-For-You!" look towards Hiro, who kept glancing at her with looks the 16-year-old couldn't read, but grudgingly decided against it. "Um, Himeno-san, do you, ano, do you know when Mr. Kaoru will be **back** from the hot spring?" Himeno's smile saddened a little.

"No, he **didn't** say when he'd be back… to tell the truth, my father's somewhat of a ditz, always forgetting important agendas…" Himeno suddenly balled her hand into a fist. "If that **goof** of a father were here right now…" She threatened, an angry aura forming around her.

"If that father were here, we wouldn't be **in** this situation, Himeno. So calm down." Hayate soothed his wife, then muttered under his breath, "Such a vicious woman, must have tricked me into marrying her."

"I **HEARD** THAT!" Himeno fumed, punching Hayate square in the jaw. Sakura snickered, while Tenshi looked horrified.

"Some things never change…" Hayate grumbled while rubbing his offended jaw with Himeno sticking her tongue out at him.

"Speaking of marriage…" Sakura spoke up, confused about something. "…Your last name is the same as your dad's ne, Himeno-san?"

"Hai." Himeno confirmed.

"Huh. That's odd…" The tora-like teen commented softly, a confused frown on her face.

"Nani?" Tenshi queried. What was wrong with a daughter sharing the same last name as her father?

"Well, you're married to Hayate-sama, aren't you Himeno-san?"

"Of course." Himeno said, her finger playing with her wedding ring.

"So, shouldn't you, Hayate-sama and your kids have **HIS **last name?" Sakura questioned further. Hayate choked on a mouthful of peas he was chewing, so Hiro had to thump him on the back before he swallowed. Himeno stared at Sakura, while Hitori coughed to break the awkward silence.

"Ano, well, Hayate decided to take **MY **last name!" Himeno proclaimed, laughing quite loudly and nervously.

"Well, uh, that's uh…unique." Tenshi commented, looking at Himeno and Hayate strangely.

"Um…how was the flight?" Hayate asked in a hurry to find a new subject to talk about.

"Well, it was okay for the **most** part…" Sakura replied.

"The 'most' part?" Himeno repeated, curious.

"Yeah…some 'shadow' thing almost knocked us right out of the sky!" Tenshi proclaimed, gesturing with a piece of meat on her fork pointed towards the ceiling. "Although the so called 'trustworthy' pilots claimed that it was 'just turbulence.'" She added bitterly, chomping the meat off of her fork. The Awayuki's exchanged dark looks.

_Hmm? Do **they **know something about this island that **we** don't?_ Sakura asked herself.

"So Saku-chan?" Hitori called her, eager to change the subject **yet again**. "If **you're** the one who won Grandpa's contest, just what **WERE** you and my brother doing in that room, eh?" She teased. Sakura's face became completely red, while Tenshi looked from Hitori to her BFF, wondering what the hell was going on.

"Bewii?" She asked.

"Shut up, Hitori! All that happened was that that stupid girl over there fainted on me when we were outside, so I had to drag her inside so she could rest." Hiro snapped.

"Oh, so you actually **care **about someone other than yourself?" Hitori replied cheekily. Hiro was about to retort when Sakura suddenly stood up and slammed her palms against the surface of the table.

Everyone stared at her in shock as her eyebrows twitched in irritation. "Um, excuse me…but WHO THE **HELL** ARE **YOU **CALLING STUPID?" Sakura shouted, glaring coldly at auburn-haired male, who glared back equally as fiercely.

"WHO **ELSE** WHAT I BE CALLING STUPID, YA BAKA!"

"DON'T YOU **DARE** CALL ME THAT! ONLY CLOSE FRIENDS OF MINE HAVE THAT RIGHT, AND **YOU** SURE AS **HELL **AIN'T ONE OF MY FRIENDS, ASSHOLE!"

Sakura spat, not caring that adults were present in the room. Just then, Tenshi stood up and high-kicked Sakura in the head. The 16-year-old staggered sideways for a bit before glaring at a furious-looking Tenshi and rubbing a newly formed bump on her head. "What was-"

"Just shut it, Sakura! Kami, you're acting like a temper-tantrum throwing toddler! And with bad language! The only thing you're doing by yelling is making a **_fool_** out of yourself! So just sit down and cool off! You **know** what happens when your blood pressure gets too high…" Tenshi scolded, taking her own seat.

Sakura just stood there, silently cursing Tenshi for **always** being right. Finally, excepting defeat, Sakura threw herself roughly into her chair and let out a long heavy huff. Everyone stared in awe at the two teens for 3 reasons:

1.) At how loud Sakura could shout. (Hiro learned this tidbit of info the hard way.)

2.) At how well Tenshi could tell a person off.

And 3.) At how Sakura actually had the self-restraint to **listen** to her best friend.

Well, I guess BFF's know best.

Himeno cleared her throat and, in an attempt to begin a nice, **decent** conversation, she asked, "So Sakura, how's your family?" Sakura, heeding Tenshi's orders, had simmered down, and answered with a calm expression, "They're fine. I have a mother, a father, and a not-much-younger-than-me-but-still-as-equally-annoying know-it-all sister." The African-American shot a pointed sideways glance towards Tenshi, who was about to protest when Himeno asked her the same question.

"What about you, Tenshi-chan? How's **your** family?"

"…" Tenshi merely stared at Himeno with a dull gaze, as if she were **looking** at Himeno, but wasn't really **seeing** Himeno.

…_Did I say something wrong…?_ Himeno thought uncertainly, staring back at Tenshi nervously.

"…Sakura-chan…Sakura-chan **is **my family…" Tenshi finally spoke, now staring down at her half-empty plate. The Awayuki's stared at Tenshi and Sakura, not knowing what to say. It was then that Sakura spoke.

"…Tenshi…She lost her parents and little brother in an accident when she was 10…" The tora-like teen put a comforting hand on Tenshi's shoulder. "So…she is my adopted sister."

Neither Sakura, nor Tenshi would bring up this subject on their own. Nor would they ever forget that horrible rainy day, when that police officer came knocking on the Petala's door. Tenshi had spent the night, and was waiting for her family to come and get her. Instead, Tenshi's heart shattered to pieces that night, with these words:

"_I…regret to inform you this, minna-san…but…the Tsukino family…**there was an accident**…"_ Tenshi didn't need to hear another word. She got the message.

And for 2 very long weeks, Tenshi closed up her heart, and refused to smile. Sakura saw the signs that Tenshi was cracking and needed her more than ever, but what could she **do** about the situation? Sakura felt worthless.

"_I…I'm sorry, Tenshi-chan…I feel like such a lousy friend. I could do nothing but watch as you suffered through this tragedy…You're very strong, you know…I wouldn't be able to handle such a burden…I'm sorry."_ Sakura had said, while she and Tenshi were sitting in Sakura's room, Tenshi being unusually quiet while staring out the window. There was a long silence before Tenshi said,

"…_Why do you keep apologizing? And saying that you're a lousy friend…? You're sitting here with me now, aren't you…?"_ Sakura stared as Tenshi's reasoning words ceased the 11-year-old from beating herself up. It was true…it was true!

And just like that, Tenshi cracked a smile, and Sakura just couldn't help but grin back. That was the silent pact made between them that day: That no matter what happened, Tenshi would always have a smile…just for Sakura.

"Wow, so many awkward moments in one day. I believe that's a record." Hitori commented, grinning toothily at the two sentimental sisters. Tenshi and Sakura laughed nervously and sweatdropped. Himeno simply shook her head and glanced at her watch for what seemed like the 50 billionth time.

"Where **are** those boys?" She demanded to know. "They're late!" Sakura blinked.

"…Ano, **_what_** boys?" The African-American queried. Hitori squealed.

"You invited them for the evening, Mom?" When Himeno gave a simple nod, Hitori squealed again. "Oh, you're going to LOVE them! The eldest ones are SO GEORGEOUS!" She proclaimed, winking at Sakura and Tenshi.

"Now, quit teasing, Hitori-chan!" Himeno scolded her daughter, but grinned in spite of herself. Hitori merely giggled while Hayate and Hiro rolled their eyes. (**Can you say, "Chip off the old block?" XD**)

Suddenly, the doors flew open and in strode a total of 6 boys, all panting lightly. "Well speak of the devils!" Hitori giggled again. The one with smoky gray hair and violet eyes was the first one to speak.

"Sorry we're late." He said, finally catching his breath. "We were in L-" The guy, he looked around 17, spotted Tenshi and Sakura, staring with polite curiosity at the 6 of them. He smiled charmingly and started to make his way over to where Sakura and Tenshi were seated.

"Well, if I had known we were having such lovely company, I would have skipped training and come early." He said, stopping in front of Sakura. The smoky gray-haired guy leaned his arm on the surface of the table so that he was almost nose-to-nose with the 16-year-old. "Hi. What's your name?" He asked Sakura. Sakura sat there like an idiot, her mouth agape, in awe of how handsome this guy really was. His eyes were the perfect shade of violet, not too dark, not too light, and Sakura just felt like sitting there and staring into them forever.

"Oh, quit being such a flirt, Saitoshi!" Hitori teased.

"I'm not flirting, I just want to know what her name is." Saitoshi defended himself, his eyes never leaving Sakura's.

"Uh, I, uh, um, uh, I-I'm Sakura…" The African-American finally managed to blurt out.

"Sakura. A beautiful name for a beautiful young woman." Saitoshi complimented, taking Sakura's hand and kissing it. Sakura's head could have passed off for a steaming tomato by then.

"Oh BROTHER!" Shouted a very annoyed I-can't-take-it-anymore Hiro. Saitoshi straightened and looked directly at Hiro.

"Still as grumpy as ever I see, Hiro."

"Stuff a music sheet in it, Musika!"

"Cheeky."

"Honestly, why do I waste my time with low-lives like you?" Commented a very loud bleach-blonde still at the doorway, brushing his bangs out of his jade green eyes. "I **could** be doing more **useful** things with my time like-**HEL-LO!**" The ranting blonde had just spotted Tenshi, who was leaning back in her chair to get a better look at the boys who had just arrived through the double doors of the dining room.

The green-eyed boy quickly rushed over to Tenshi and took her hands in his. (**Oh, poor Tenshi! T-T**) "What a magnificent maiden!" The boy sighed dreamily. "Come, let us ditch these losers and go somewhere more worthy of your grace." The guy insisted. Tenshi had a nervous smile on her face and multiple sweatdrops; and if she **did** cuss, she'd probably be thinking: "What the **HELL**!" right about now.

"See now Kato? The trip **wasn't** a total waste like you kept sayin' it would be on the way here," Said a 15-year-old looking boy with wavy green hair and red streaks through it. "You got to meet a cute girl."

"Quiet, Gaki! No one asked you!" Kato hissed vehemently at the one called Gaki. Suddenly, a kid with sandy blonde hair pushed Kato out of the way and grabbed Tenshi's hands.

"Hiya! I'm Moki! Moki Frost! Will you be my girlfriend?" The ice blue-eyed boy pleaded.

Kato got back up and tackled Moki to the ground. "You damn brat! **I** was gonna ask her to be **MY **girlfriend!" Kato complained, wrestling with Moki.

"Well I beat ya to it, sucker!" Moki retorted, sticking his tongue out at Kato.

"There they go again." Complained the youngest, watching the two roll around on the floor and shaking his head full of golden brown hair. "They can act so childish sometimes, don't you think, Himura?"

The emerald-eyed boy turned to a redheaded boy next to him, who looked about a few years older than the youngest, quietly observing the scene in front of them. "Yes, Shinta…although it **is** quite amusing to watch." Himura said, a small smile on his face. Shinta merely sighed. As all this was happening, all Tenshi and Sakura could think was this: _What a **huge** mess!_ Just then, Himeno stood up, put two fingers into her mouth, and whistled loudly.

Kato and Moki stopped fighting, and everyone looked up at Himeno, who looked very frustrated with the 6 boys. "Excuse me, but I believe that **proper** gentlemen would introduce themselves to our guests and take a seat **quietly** so we can continue with lunch!" She said with a stern face.

"Gomen, ma'am." The boys replied. Saitoshi sat in the empty chair on the left of Sakura and introduced himself like Himeno said.

"Saitoshi Musika. Son of Sasame and Takako Musika. Pleased to meet you." The violet-eyed man smiled handsomely again, causing Sakura and Tenshi to go red in the face a little. Kato sat in a chair that was placed between Sakura and Tenshi and grabbed Tenshi's left hand.

"Kato Hikari, son of Mayune and Kei Hikari, at your service!" Kato proclaimed, leaning down to kiss Tenshi's hand, but she pulled her hand out of his grasp and karate-chopped the snob on the head. "Beautiful **AND** strong! I'm in love!" Kato sighed dreamily once again, even though there was a huge lump on his head.

Tenshi's other hand was suddenly grabbed, and she whipped around to her right to find Moki rubbing the backside of her hand against his cheek. "Her skin is **so soft**! She's like the heroine of a romance novel! Mannen and Yayoi, my parents, will **LOVE** you, new girlfriend!" Moki exclaimed, while Kato glared daggers at him. The 15-year-old blue banged teen turned towards Sakura, her expression clearly shouting "**HELP!**" The African-American merely shrugged; what could **she** do about it? They just met!

"Hey there! I'm Gaki Hono, son to Go and Mawata Hono."

"Ano, your name is 'brat'?" Tenshi held a confused look on her face. Gaki grimaced.

"Yeah, my 9-year-old little sister was the lucky one to get a **normal** name: Garnet."

"Aw, that's cute. My birthstone is the Garnet, see?" Sakura showed off the ring on her right wedding finger. Gaki was sitting at the end of the table next to Saitoshi and Hitori and across from Himura, so he had to lean forward a little to see Sakura's ring properly.

"Suigo. Who gave it to you?" Gaki asked after getting a good look at it.

Sakura's mood ring blushed pink along with her face, as she toyed with her birthstone ring. "Oh, no one special…" She replied, although the goofy grin starting to spread on her face said otherwise. As if on cue, Sakura's cell phone started to go off like crazy. "**These words are my own, from my heart zone. I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you**!" The cell phone sang. (**A/N: NOT MINE! THIS SONG BELONGS TO NATASHA BEDINGFIELD!**) _There's only **one** caller that would trigger THAT ring tone…_ Tenshi's thoughts were confirmed as she watched Sakura's eyes light up when she read the Caller I.D.

"Excuse me, I gotta take this call." The tora-like teen excused herself from the table, exchanging meaningful glances with Tenshi before strolling out the double doors and into the hallway.

"Oh boy…" Tenshi sighed, thinking that Sakura was hopeless.

"Who was that?" Hitori asked nosily, staring at the double doors Sakura had disappeared behind, fighting a strong urge to eavesdrop.

"Her boyfriend." Tenshi replied simply.

" 'Boyfriend'? Aw, she's taken. That's too bad…" Saitoshi pouted cutely.

"You have a boyfriend back home as well, ne, lady?"

Tenshi turned around in her seat to find Himura standing behind her chair, surveying her with his mysterious navy blue eyes. To both Kato and Moki's dismay, Tenshi nodded in agreement. "That's right. And you can call me Tenshi." Himura blinked.

"Honto ne?" He asked. Tenshi nodded and smiled warmly at the redhead. Himura blinked some more, then returned the warm smile.

"Do shimashita ka? You **NEVER** smile like that, Himura!" Shinta spoke, shocked at his friend's actions. Himura turned towards the emerald-eyed boy.

"…She's nice…" Was all the navy blue-eyed boy said.

"Thanks, Shorty!" Tenshi said, ruffling Himura's red-orange hair.

"My name's Himura Tsunami. But you can call me Himura." The navy blue-eyed boy stared at Tenshi.

"…You look a lot like my mom…" He commented suddenly.

"Bewii? Who's your mom?" The 15-year-old asked curiously.

"Her name is Yumi. And my dad's name is Hajime." Himura replied. "All our dads are good friends with Himeno and Hayate-san. And we're all good friends with Hiro-kun, Hitori-san, and each other. Shinta is my best friend, though."

The redhead pointed to the golden brown haired boy sitting next to Hiro, who stood on his chair and said, "Shinta Flora, ma'am! Buttercup and Shin Flora are my parents, ma'am! I hope we can become friends, ma'am!" Shinta saluted Tenshi, who giggled at his silliness.

"…You laugh like my mom, too…" Himura said, his eyes shining with laughter. _…This kid seems familiar…_ Tenshi thought as she smiled down at Himura. As all this was going on, everyone failed to notice Hiro slip out of the room.

**Hallway**

Sakura took a deep breath and put her cell phone to her ear. "Moshi-moshi?"

"Hey babe." Sakura mentally squealed and melted at the sound of her beloved's voice.

"Hi Kenji!"

"Hey. Did you have a safe flight?"

"If I didn't, do you **really** think I'd be talking to you on the phone right now?"

"Ooh, still feisty, I see."

"You know it!"

"Are they treating you right?"

"Of course! What, did ya think they'd force me into slavery as soon as I got here?"

"Well, one can never be too careful. These Japanese people are kind of shifty…"

"HEY! I was **born** part Japanese, thank you! And you ARE Japanese, buddy!"

"Okay, I'll quit teasing! I just called to check up on you and to say aishiteru."

"Well, thanks for checking up on me, but I don't know…the boys at this mansion are **pretty** foxy…"

"Ouch. You're just plain **evil**!"

"I love you too, Kenji."

"Now THAT'S what I wanna hear. Oh, I gotta go, Saku."

"Aww, doushite?"

"I gotta go to work. I'll call you later, okay?"

"…Okay…"

"Ja-ne, Koishii."

"Ja!"

The line went dead, and Sakura clutched the phone to her chest, her eyes closed. A picture of 17-year-old Kenji popped into her mind. He was fairly good looking, with pale skin, long black hair always pulled into a ponytail, and lime green eyes. Kenji lived with his stepparents next door to Sakura ever since they were little. Kenji didn't say much about his parents, but Sakura could tell they weren't blood-related because they looked too different.

Kenji and Sakura often had the same way of thinking, so they never fought and always enjoyed each other's company. But sometimes, it would get a little boring. Perhaps they were **too** alike? All the same, Sakura loved Kenji and wouldn't have it any other way.

"Oh, Kenji, I miss you…" Sakura whispered to the ceiling.

"Who's Kenji?" Questioned a voice behind Sakura that made her jump nearly 8 feet into the air. The tora-like teen whipped around to find none other that Hiro standing behind her with a raised eyebrow.

"**YOU!**" Sakura prosecuted, pointing a finger at Hiro.

"Is that how you greet everyone?" Hiro asked dully.

"Don't **TALK **to me! I won't forgive you for making a **fool** out of me!"

"You don't need any help from ME; you do a pretty good job of that yourself." Hiro smirked.

Sakura's mood ring once again changed to a raging red. Here she was, in a perfectly **good** mood after having a lovely conversation with her handsome boyfriend, and this smart-ass just **had** to pop up and **RUIN EVERYTHING**!

"**JEEEERRK!**" Sakura screeched, her right palm flying towards Hiro. Oh, how she longed to slap him and leave a stinging red handprint right across his stupid smirking face!

Hiro's eyes widened at the up-and-coming hand, but his reflexes saved him. He raised his right hand to catch Sakura's hand. As soon as their hands made contact, an incredible amount of power began to surround Sakura and Hiro's joined hands. She wrenched her hand from Hiro's grasp and stared at it in slight horror.

"What the hell was that…?" The 16-year-old questioned herself as her mood ring went to multi-colors, showing Sakura's mixed feelings of fear, confusion, and curiosity.

_I don't like this…I have to get out of here and talk to Tenshi!_ And with that, Sakura turned on her heel and stomped over to the double doors leading back to the dining room, ready to yank them open. But she paused and looked back at Hiro, who was staring at his hand with an unreadable emotion on his face.

_He looks…worried_… Sakura thought staring back at him. Then she shook her head violently to scatter those thoughts.

/_Wait, you HATE the guy, remember? Why do you care? _/ Her conscience asked.

…_I don't…_ Sakura concluded in her head, throwing open the double doors and slamming them behind her. Meanwhile, Hiro was staring at his right hand with disbelief.

….._No way…Is she…?_ Hiro couldn't bring himself to finish the thought as he stared at Sakura's disappearing figure through the double doors.

…._I have to tell the others_….

**Dining Room**

The double doors slammed open, and everyone in the dining room looked around to find a certain African-American 16-year-old, wearing a pissed-off expression and breathing heavily, as if she had just ran around the world and back.

"…?" Was everyone's reaction as they stared at a disgruntled Sakura.

"Tenshi…talk…**now.**" Sakura mumbled, trying to catch her breath. (**She got so angry with Hiro that she can't even breathe! XD**) Tenshi raised a quizzical eyebrow at her friend/sister.

"Okay, uh, make some **sense**." The 15-year-old replied.

"She's **so** clever!" Kato and Moki said at the same time, then glared at each other. Everyone sweatdropped.

Rather that explain what she was trying to say, Sakura grabbed Tenshi's arm and dragged her through yet **another **pair of double doors, glass this time, and onto the balcony over looking the giant Awayuki gates.

Hiro then entered the dining room with a sullen look on his face. Everyone stared at him.

"WHOA! When did YOU slip away, Hiro?" His twin asked.

"More importantly, what did you do to Sakura-chan?" Saitoshi asked suspiciously.

"…Did something happen?" Himeno questioned with concern. Hiro stared back at all of them, looked to his right hand for a moment, and then clenched it into a fist.

**Balcony**

"OOOH! I can't **STAND **that guy!"

"Uh huh."

"I mean there I was, enjoying my solitude, and all of a sudden HE pops up! For all I know, he could have been listening in on my conversation!"

"Uh huh."

"JEEZ! Doesn't that guy have ANY common courtesy!"

"Uh huh. And how does this make you **feel**?"

Sakura glared at the psychiatric 15-year-old. "…You're just humoring me, aren't you?" Tenshi grinned.

"How could you tell?" Tenshi was a smart girl. She knew **better** than to try and calmly talk some sense into Sakura when she was in "ranting mode." "Just **why **are you so angry with Hiro-kun, eh?" Tenshi queried, once Sakura had settled down a little.

"**BECAUSE!**"

"Because **why**?" Tenshi prodded further.

"Because…" The tora-like teen paused. Why **was **she mad?

Besides the fact that he annoyed the hell out of Sakura, he hadn't done anything **truly** horrible to her, so she really **didn't** have a reason to be angry with him or hate him. His **attitude and personality**, yes, but not **him**. Maybe the real reason she was angry was because she just didn't **get** him. Everything about him, even his eyes, were mysterious. She couldn't even read his expression half the time.

"…Are you just frustrated because you don't **understand **Hiro-kun?" Tenshi asked, staring at Sakura. The 16-year-old's eyes widened as she looked to her best friend. "You're so used to getting along with everyone, that it just threw you off when Hiro rejected you…" Sakura looked utterly bewildered by now.

"H-how…?" Was Tenshi…a psychic?? Tenshi merely smiled mysteriously at Sakura.

"…You scare me sometimes…" Sakura commented. The African-American stared at her right hand.

_Even so…what happened when our hands connected…?_ Sakura asked herself, looking towards the setting sun, maybe hoping to find the answer somewhere over there.

**Dining Room**

"She's…she's the **one.**"

Everyone dropped what they were doing and stared open-mouthed at Hiro.

"Are…are you sure?"

"Mom, when she raised her hand to slap me-"

" 'SLAP YOU'? HA! Serves you RIGHT for provoking her!"

"Shut UP, Hitori! Anyway, when I caught her hand, we almost accidentally did it…"

"Wow. Never in my **dreams** would I have thought the next one would come right up to our doorstep!"

"Odd, isn't it? Must have been fate…"

"Well, I guess we should tell her, eh?"

"Only if Hiro is sure."

"I'm **sure**! The sooner we find the next one, the better…"

"…"

"Alright, it's settled. As soon as she finishes her conversation with Tenshi, we'll tell them both."

"…Right."

**Balcony**

"Still though, something weird happened when he held my hand…"

" 'Held your HAND'! Is THAT why you're angry with him?"

"NO!" Sakura yelled indignantly as they walked over to the glass double doors. "It's just, I can't get over this feeling I got when our hands touched…" The 16-year-old attempted to explain, opening the door and walking back into the dining room. "It was like…a really strong electric shock, you know what I mean?" Sakura asked, turning to Tenshi. The star-obsessed teen wasn't listening; however, and was staring straight ahead at something, a bewildered expression plastered onto her face.

"…Daijoubu desu ka, Tenshi-chan?" Sakura asked concernedly, wondering what Tenshi was staring at. Slowly, the confused African-American turned around to find the source that held Tenshi's attention so intently.

The two teens weren't in the dining room, or probably not on **Earth** for that matter.

They were in a strange place, with strange scenery, and strange creatures about. Sakura then noticed the Awayuki's and company, and was about to comment on the situation, when she noticed them all in strange clothing, even Hiro. Hayate, it seemed, had disappeared, leaving Himeno standing before everyone, in a weird blue and white outfit, the wind playfully blowing at her puffy see-through sleeves.

"What you felt **wasn't **an electric shock, Sakura…" Himeno said, stepping towards Sakura. The 16-year-old was brought back to reality a little.

"…Huh?" She sputtered. "Uh, but, what…?" Sakura looked over to Hiro, who was dressed in a weird blue cloak. Did he tell Himeno about the awkward moment in the hallway? Their eyes met, and Hiro looked away quickly.

"Uh, what's going on…?" Tenshi finally spoke up, no longer dumbstruck but **very** curious.

"…Sakura," Himeno began, "You're the new Pretear…"

**A/N: MWAHAHAHAHA! EVIL CLIFFIE! Normally, I don't like cliffhangers, 'cause they're only fun when I do them, and I don't do too many. Anywayz, now you peoplez know what I'm up to! For the most part, anyway…**

**I enjoyed how this chapter turned out, and I hope you did too! So…REVIEW, MIND SLAVES, REVIEW! (Cracks whip) MWAHAHAHAHAHAAA!**

**-MuraSakura**

**Translations **

**Nani-What**

**Ne-Right**

**Ano-Um/But**

**Bewii-Tenshi's catchphrase. Means absolutely everything and nothing at the same time. TENSHI OWNS IT!**

**Minna-san-Everyone**

**Suigo-Awesome**

**Honto ne-Really**

**Do shimashita ka?-What's the matter?**

**Moshi-moshi-How you say hello on the phone**

**Aishiteru-I love you**

**Doushite-Why**

**Ja-ne-Goodbye for now**

**Koishii-What lovers call each other**

**Daijoubu desu ka?-Are you alright?**

**A/N2: 'NOTHER edited chapter. Sheesh. Now I know how Tenshi feels when she has to edit my work! XD**


	4. Chapter 4: Explanations and Confusion

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear **

**Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N: WHOO! 18 REVIEWS! (Does the happy dance) Some of you peoplez are probably thinkin' "Is she HYPER or something? It's only 18 reviews!" Well, guess what? You're right! But as far as I'm concerned, it's better than nothing! Hell, I think I would have HAD nothing, if not for my connections…(Winks at Tenshi Hikari, Soullesswinds, and Invisible Love) Oh, and I got a question on why Tenshi's last name keeps changing. (Sweatdrops and rubs the back of her head nervously) Well, Tenshi's last name OUTSIDE of the fic is 'Hikari', but in the fic, Kato's last name is Hikari, and I didn't want them to be, heaven forbid, RELATED. (Shudders at the thought) Oh, and many congrats to you and You-Know-Who, Tenshi-chan! (Wink,wink) Anywayz, here's chapter 4! YAY!**

**Oops, I lied. FIRST, answers to reviews, THEN chappie 4!**

**Invisible Love: Yes, I am SOOOOO EVIL! MWAHAHAHAHA! Err, ahem. And thank Kami-sama Tenshi-chan DIDN'T kill me! …But she probably will after the tidbit of info I added to the end of my ranting Author's note. Good thing I didn't say it was Kai though…OOPS! (Slaps both hands over big mouth)**

**Starrychica82: Dude, you sound just like my mom! I keep trying to bring her into the 21st century by teaching her to say pop and not soda, but what can I say? She's stubborn. Runs in the family…(Sweatdrop) I answered most of your questions in your reviews, if you check…(Still in shock that a 23-year-old is reading her humble fanfic, but is nonetheless honored)**

**Soullesswinds: WHOA! Geez, girl, take a chill pill! A BIG ONE. C'mon, it's nothing to get upset about! I was just having one of my moments, you know how I am. Anywayz, glad you and Kaze enjoyed it! I'll keep writing for all my adoring fans! You keep writing too! Your work is moy buien! (Gomen, taking Spanish class with Kaze.) Let no one tell you otherwise!**

**Restlessloner: LOL, what a weird coincidence! Just as I was typing the cell phone ringer, the song decides to play on 99.5! Life is funny that way sometimes. You just don't want life laughing at you. XD**

**Saphimire Karishnikova: Domoe Arigatou! (Smiles in appreciation) Though the story isn't based solely on Hayate and Himeno. THEIR story just gave MY story a little push into action. And encouragement is greatly appreciated: ) I'll add HayatexHimeno fluff if you beg…**

**Dominique Gray: Ohmygod, you ACTUALLY REVIEWED MY STORY! WAI! I'M SO HAPPY: D BTW, How's high school life treatin' ya? X)**

**Tenshi Hikari: Well, aren't YOUR days interesting? (Smirks) I can't really talk, what with the next generation of Leafe Knights hovering over me night and day…(Yells to knights) WHY DON'T YOU ALL GO HOME!**

**New Leafe Knights: WE LOVE TORTURING YOU TOO MUCH TO GO HOME!**

**Oi, why me…? (Bangs head against the wall, losing another 5 of her brain cells)**

**Disclaimer: Hmm… Now WHERE in the WORLD can Kaori-san and Junichi-kun BE? (Smirks evilly) Well, since the creators of Pretear are no longer here, I guess I have to claim Pretear as MY property! (Evil music plays in background) MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!**

**(Creators of Pretear bust in, looking very battered)**

**Kaori Naruse: HA! You thought pushing us down that cliff on our nature walk would kill us, DIDN'T YOU? Well tough cookies! We're still alive, so Pretear is STILL OURS! Besides, too many crazy fan-girls tried that already, so we have trampolines under every possible cliff we could be pushed off of!**

**Junichi Satou: We have that kind of money. Dying is for poor people! **

**MuraSakura: (Twists one end of her false mustache) Curses. Foiled again!**

**This chapter is dedicated to Restlessloner and Starrychica82 for putting my story on their favorites list. ROCK ON! Oh, and this whole story is dedicated to my most beloved friends, namely Invisible Love, for without them, this story wouldn't even be here. So you guys better thank them as well! Arigatou! **

**CHAPTER 4: Explanations and Confusion**

Silence. You know, silence can be a very weird thing. For instance, when something embarrassing or shocking was suddenly done, silence could be very awkward. Or when a loving couple wants nothing more than to enjoy each other's presence, silence could be very comfortable. Or when you're all alone, with nothing to dwell on but your thoughts, silence could be very, **VERY **deafening.

In this case, it was the latter for Sakura, the palms of her scrunched up hands over her eyes as she re-played the evening's events over and over again in her head.

**FLASHBACK**

"_What you felt **wasn't** a electrical shock, Sakura…" Himeno said, stepping towards Sakura. The 16-year-old was brought back into reality a little. _

"…_Huh?" She sputtered. "Um, but…what?" _

"_Uh, what's going on…?" Tenshi finally spoke up, no longer dumbstruck but **very** curious. _

"…_Sakura," Himeno began, "You're the new Pretear…"_

Sakura and Tenshi stared at Himeno, never blinking. "The…the **what**?" Sakura questioned confusedly.

"The Pretear. She is the supplier, creator, and the beginning of all Leafe. Leafe is the way of life. Without Leafe, everyone and everything, including us, would no longer exist and fade away. **You** are the new Pretear, Sakura. We Leafe Knights, the Knights that protect Leafe, need your help to defeat someone who is trying to steal all of the Leafe away. We need you to help us not only save Awayuki Island, but the **world**." Saitoshi gave this speech, standing in his white and purple outfit with a cape to match.

Sakura and Tenshi blinked, slowly looked at each other, and then burst into hysterics to ease the nervous feeling that settled in the pit of their stomachs. "You're joking, right? This is a joke, right? A sick and twisted joke, ne?" Sakura looked around expectantly at the solemn faces of the group, as if waiting for someone to crack and yell out, "April Fool!"

Hitori, who wouldn't be able to keep a straight face by now if this were a joke, instead replied with a grim expression, "We're telling the truth guys, even though it sounds entirely far-fetched. The world is in danger. We need **your** help, Sakura." Hitori's eyes looked pleading. The tora-like teen felt like she was frozen in time.

_This CAN'T be real! It **can't **be!_ Sakura's brain firmly told her.

/_Well, if you think its bullshit, why do you feel so nervous?_ / Sakura's conscience butted in once again.

The 16-year-old also felt a strong sense of duty, as she looked into everyone's eyes in the group. When her gaze went to Hiro's eyes, he did not glare nor look away. Rather, he stared right back into Sakura's eyes. Besides the cold, lonely and distant look in Hiro's auburn orbs, the African-American could **finally** read what was on Hiro's mind through his eyes. It's like his eyes were the gateway to his soul. And right now, his soul and eyes were saying the same thing everybody else's mouths were:

_We need you. Please help us._

"C'mon guys, did you REALLY think we'd fall for the whole 'superhero' thing?" Tenshi asked, as she wiped tears away from her eyes from laughing too hard. "We stopped believing in that stuff when we were, like, 12. Still, this prank was good for a lau-"

"I'll do it." Tenshi was interrupted by Sakura's sudden declaration, a determined look plastered onto her face. The Leafe Knights, Hitori and Himeno grinned, satisfied with Sakura's answer. Tenshi held a 'Say WHAT?' look on her face by now.

"Sakura!" Tenshi called out, earning her onee-chan's attention.

"Are you CRAZY?" Tenshi cried in Latin, so the others wouldn't be able to follow their conversation. "Do you realize that you could have just thrown yourself into a psycho circle! Are you THAT dumb!" Tenshi continued to scold.

"Maybe I am." Sakura replied in Spanish, just in case someone over in the lost looking crowd of crazy people could understand Latin but not Spanish.

"But, I don't know…something in my gut tells me we can trust these people…" The 16-year-old continued to explain. The star-obsessed teen raised a skeptical eyebrow at Sakura. "Just go with me on this, capiche?" Tenshi still had her doubts, (**Who wouldn't?**) but if Saku-chan wanted to believe them, who was she to argue?

"Fine," Tenshi answered in Japanese, so the others could understand.

"But shouldn't they at least explain **how** you're supposed to become this… 'Pretear', Sakura?" The 15-year-old asked, testing to see if this wasn't all just some big joke.

"Hai." Himeno nodded, then turned towards her son. "Hiro…" Himeno jerked her head towards Sakura and gave Hiro a meaningful glance.

"Why do **I **have to do it?" He whined, glaring at his mother.

"Because I say so, because being your mother gives me the right to boss you around no matter **what** age you are, and because she already has a little experience from your Leafe from the hallway incident, and it's going to be hard for her the first time! Now get over there and prete with Sakura!" Himeno ordered in a no-nonsense tone.

"What? Wait, **what** is he going to do with me, exactly?" Sakura queried, starting to regret her rushed promise to help this bunch out. Mumbling a few swear words under his breath, Hiro strode over to Sakura, who looked faintly disturbed, but stood her ground.

"Give me your hand." Hiro said, holding out his right hand. It wasn't an order, it was a request. Still, Sakura stared at his hand for a moment, and then, hesitantly, placed her own right hand in his.

That familiar overwhelming feeling overtook Sakura yet again, her whole body this time. Colorful glowing spheres started to swirl around Sakura and Hiro as they were lifted into the air. Sakura closed her eyes as she felt Hiro's hand disappear, but the surprising warmth of it remained and spread throughout her, as if his soul had entered her body. Sakura felt the power of the wind surround her as her old clothes slipped away and new clothes and accessories appeared onto her body.

The tora-like teen finally opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She was back on the ground, with everyone staring at her expectantly. Hiro had gone Kami-knows-where, but Sakura couldn't care less at the moment, for she was inspecting her new look. The outfit and accessories she was now clad in were basically like Himeno's, with the exceptions of that the clothing that wasn't blue on Sakura was gold instead of white, she had on blue jeans with gold trim instead of a short white and blue skirt, her murasaki flower necklace was now connected to a blue chocker around her neck with 4 of the 8 purple petals turned gold, and 2 glittery wing-shaped marks were near her eyes, a gold one near her right eye and a blue one near her left.

Himeno circled Sakura like a vulture, inspecting her outfit. "Hm, the gold material and jeans are a new feature…and weren't you wearing that flower necklace already? Some of the petals turned gold, too…oh, and the markings near your eyes, very unique!" The reddish-brown haired woman commented under her breath. Sakura clenched and un-clenched her gold gloved hand. Aside from the glove, it didn't look any different. But, somehow, Sakura felt…**powerful.**

"**_Could you tell Mom to hurry it up?_**" A voice questioned roughly in Sakura's head that sounded oddly familiar and that WASN'T her conscience.

"**_Being in your psycho-analysis can even drive the most sanest person on Earth up the wall after a while._**"

"…………Hiro?" Sakura asked, a million question marks floating around her head. "Is that **you**? Where are you? Why the hell am I hearing you in my head?"

"When a Pretear and a Leafe Knight merge together, or '**Prete**' they become one; therefore, creating a new Leafe out of both the Pretear and the Knight's abilities." Himeno explained, catching onto what was going on by Sakura's bewildered expression and the talking to her noggin.

Sakura was silent so she could process the info, then said, "So, uh, Hiro…**you**, right now, are inside of my **body**…?"

"**_Summing it up in a nutshell, yeah, more or less…_**" Came Hiro's blunt reply. The new Pretear stood there, staring at nothing in particular, her eyes dull and gloom lines etched into her face, when she suddenly whipped out Daddy Frying Pan and attempted to bash herself on the head.

"EW, YOU NASTY PERVERT! I ALREADY HAVE ONE VOICE IN MY HEAD THAT DRIVES ME BONKERS! I DON'T NEED ANOTHER ONE! GET **OUT** OF **THERE**!" Sakura shrieked, being restrained by Hitori to keep herself from causing herself any **more** brain damage. (**Sweatdrop T-T**)

It took a lot to calm the tora-like female down, but once she did, she took a deep breath and asked: "Okay, WHY is psycho here in my brain again?"

"**_Aww quit your belly-aching!_**" Hiro yelled. "**_I don't like it in here either, but we're just gonna have to deal with it. This form you're in right now is the Wind Pretear. You're going to have different forms when you prete with different knights. All of these forms will help you in the battle to save the world._**" As if Tenshi could hear Hiro, she suddenly says:

"Wait a minute, let me get this straight: So, the fate of the world is in **HER** hands?" Tenshi asked, pointing to Sakura.

Without waiting for an answer, Tenshi threw her hands up in a surrendering manner and let out a defeated sigh. "We're doomed…" The star-obsessed teen concluded. A vein throbbed in Sakura and Hiro's temple (**He was in the body Tenshi insulted at the time!**) while Kato and Moki snickered at Tenshi's smart-aleckness.

"Sakura will **never** lose!" Hitori declared with a determined smirk. "Not as long as she and the Leafe Knights become one, and create new Leafe that'll grow stronger as Sakura becomes better at preting!"

Tenshi's eyes widened as she stared at the, for some reason, overconfident Hitori. "You know, when you describe it like that, you make it sound like Sakura and the Leafe Knights are having-" PING! Tenshi now sported a very large bump on her head, courtesy of Sakura and Daddy Frying Pan.

"Finish that sentence, and I'll **kill** you…" Sakura snarled viciously, knowing very well what was about to come out of Tenshi's mouth.

"**_Wow, you and your friend have such dirty minds…_**" Hiro commented, somewhat of a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Shut it." Sakura and Tenshi said in unison to Hiro. The new Pretear turned a curious eye and a raised eyebrow towards her friend, who shrugged nonchalantly and said,

"I figured Hiro was saying something smart." Sakura smirked and then said,

"Hear that, Hiro? Tenshi's got your number!" Hiro muttered something that sounded a little like "**_Stupid weird girls…_**"

"Himeno-san," Sakura turned towards Himeno, who stared at her in polite curiosity. "If I'm the Wind Pretear right now, and your outfit is basically like mine, I'm guessing you're either cosplaying, or you're also a Pretear! And if you're the latter, that would explain why Hayate-sama is gone; he preted with you!"

"**_Clever, isn't she?_**" Hayate commented inside Himeno's head. Himeno smiled and said,

"Your theory is correct. I am the former Pretear, and yes, Hayate is the former Leafe Knight of Wind. This generation of Knights," Himeno continued to explain, gesturing towards the other boys, "are the sons of the former Leafe Knights. Saitoshi is the new Knight of Sound, Kato, the Knight of Light, Gaki is the Knight of Fire, Moki is the Knight of Ice, Himura is the Knight of Water, and Shinta, the Knight of Plants." Himeno re-introduced the 6 boys.

"**_And I, being Hayate Awayuki's son, am the Knight of Wind._**" Hiro finished.

"No dip." Sakura mumbled; this whole thing was starting to make her head spin.

"But Himeno-san, you're still alive, and you still have your ability to prete. So my question is if you're still here, why pick a new Pretear?" Tenshi questioned.

"Simple. Age." Himeno concluded, smiling slightly. "Since I'm not 16 anymore, I'm not as fit as I used to be…"

"Well, why isn't Hitori the new Pretear? After all, she is **your** daughter!" Tenshi continued to protest. "Anyone would be more responsible than Sakura-chan…" Tenshi added under her breath, and receiving another bash on the head with Daddy Frying Pan and Sakura, who had heard the last statement.

"Alas, it does not matter whom you're related to." Hitori stated somewhat poetically. "If that were the case, then **Hiro** could have ended up the next Pretear for all we know…"

"**_OI!_**" Hiro shouted in objection, even though his twin couldn't hear him.

"However, I AM gifted with specializing in 4 different forms of Martial Arts! Therefore, I can be of some assistance once in a blue moon!" Hitori stated proudly. (**Jeez, Hitori is SO giving off an Ayame from Fruits Basket wave…Cool. ;D**)

"Oh REALLY, now? Then you and me should have a match sometime! I'm a black belt in Karate!" Tenshi boasted challengingly, with Sakura in the background, rolling her chocolate brown eyes.

"Okay, Sakura…Now that we've explained everything, you and Hiro can separate until the next battle." Hayate said, suddenly appearing in the same blue cloak Hiro was wearing, while Himeno's clothes faded back to the summer dress earlier that afternoon.

"**_Finally!_**" Hiro shouted in relief, but his celebration was cut short by Sakura, who asked,

"Battle? Wait a minute, what exactly am I going up against?"

"**_ASK LATER, DAMMIT! I WANT OUT OF HERE!_**"

_/Boy, what flew up HIS ass and died/_ Sakura's conscience grumbled, but she ignored them both.

"We fight Demon Larvae, which are the creations of The Princess of Disaster. Sometimes we can destroy them when they're just seeds, but at other times, we're not so lucky…" Kato stated, wanting to impress everyone (namely Tenshi) with his broad range of knowledge.

"Princess of Disaster…who's that?" Tenshi asked curiously. Sakura could have sworn that she saw Saitoshi shift a bit uncomfortably, but before she could ponder on the thought, Hayate said abruptly,

"That's not important at the moment. When the Princess of Disaster makes an appearance, we'll fill you in."

"…**_Dad, why must you always dwell on the past? Can't you see your family, especially your wife, worries about you…?_**"

That was the last thing Sakura heard Hiro mutter before his spirit left Sakura's body, and there he was, standing right next to her. Sakura's clothes returned to normal, and the glittery wing-shaped marks near her eyes disappeared. She staggered back a little from surprise, but, yet again, Hiro had caught her before she had the chance to fall to the ground. The African-American stared up at her 'savior' as her stared back, harboring yet another unreadable emotion in his eyes.

…_Hiro…_ Sakura thought as she continued to hold his gaze. _…You're so mysterious…why? I want to know what you're thinking…I want to know why you're so cold…I want to know why…why…why you don't **smile**…Hiro…you and other people are nothing alike…I don't think I've **ever** met anyone as cold as you…_

Sakura's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as she was unceremoniously shoved forward onto her feet, almost falling face first in the process. Once she steadied herself, she whipped around, fuming, to face a glaring Hiro…but…something in his eyes struck Sakura as odd. Could it be…? That it was…**laughter**?

"Don't be so clumsy, **Baka**."

Sakura suddenly didn't care for what she thought she saw in Hiro's eyes anymore, for she was too busy hating him with every fiber of her being. Daddy Frying Pan magically appeared in her hands, and seizing the chance, started to chase Hiro with it. However, Hiro being able to fly was **NOT** what Sakura had counted on, so, just to annoy and get away from her, Hiro flew out of her reach. That didn't stop Sakura though, as she chased the annoying Knight of Wind, trying desperately to swat him out of the sky.

"HOW **DARE** YOU! I TOLD YOU **NEVER **TO CALL ME THAT, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT! NOW GET BACK HERE AND TAKE YOUR PUNISHMENT LIKE A **MAN**!"

"HELL NO! A SMART MAN WOULD RUN! AND WHY CAN'T I CALL YOU AN IDIOT WHEN IT'S OBVIOUSLY WHAT YOU ARE, **IDIOT**!"

"WHY YOU!"

**END FLASHBACK**

_So, it's that simple…It's up to me …the future of everyone…is in MY hands…_ These unsettling thoughts wound themselves around Sakura's brain as she stared up at the seemingly light-years away from her ceiling. She abruptly sat up and put her head in her hands. _Tenshi's right…we ARE doomed. I don't think I can handle all this…it's just too much! Can I REALLY put a stop to whatever is threatening this island? And just who IS this Princess of Disaster? Why is she causing so much pain to everyone? Who IS she?_

Sakura's troubling thoughts were cut short by a light rapping at her door. "It's open." She grumbled, laying back down and turning on her side so that her back was facing the door, not really caring who was there at the moment.

"Are you hungry? Himeno-san sent me up to tell you that dinner's ready." A smooth tenor voice spoke in her ear. Sakura rolled over to come face-to-face with Saitoshi, his violet pools smiling kindly at the tora-like female.

"WAAK!" Sakura quacked, (**Hee hee, Princess Tutu RULEZ! XD**) jumping away from Saitoshi and landing in a funny anime-style pose.

"Gomen, did I startle you?" Saitoshi asked, cocking his head with a curious face.

/_Naw, ya think?_ / Sakura's conscience started to snipe, but was cut off by Sakura's sudden thought:

_Oh Kami, he is sooo dreamy!_ Her heart swooned.

/_Are you INSANE/_ The new Pretear's conscience mentally smacked her.

/_You're ALREADY promised to KENJI! Or did you forget…/ _Sakura side glanced at her ring before replying,

"No, never!"

"Huh?" Saitoshi blinked.

"Oh, um, it's nothing…" Sakura rubbed the back of her head nervously.

Saitoshi grinned and sat next to Sakura on the bed. "…Are you…okay?" The 16-year-old gave Saitoshi an inquisitive look.

"What do you mean? Or course I'm alright! Why? Do I look sick?" She queried a little frantically. The Knight of Sound laughed at her sudden flustered reaction.

"No, its just…not many people could handle all the things you've been told all at once…" Saitoshi looked over at Sakura, who was staring dully down at her lap.

"Well, I can't say I'm not shocked…or a little scared at what might happen…." Sakura replied softly, lifting her head to stare up at the ceiling.

"…But…I'm not gonna give up!" The New Pretear suddenly hopped up, raising a fist of burning ambition. "I'm not saying that it's going to be easy either, but I'll do my best! I'm gonna destroy these Demon Larvae and put a stop to this Princess of Disaster, who EVER she may be!" Sakura looked back at Saitoshi just in time to see his face stricken with despair as his head drooped. Curious, (and a little worried) Sakura knelt in front of Saitoshi so she could see his face.

"…Did I say something wrong?" She asked innocently, her worry reflecting in her eyes. Saitoshi looked surprised for a moment, then smiled warmly towards Sakura.

"No, it's nothing to worry about, so don't sweat it…" He clasped the African-American's hands in his own (but not in a way that they would accidentally prete!) and looked deeply into her eyes.

"You really are beautiful, inside and out…it really **is **too bad that you're taken…" The flirtatious Knight of Sound winked at a beet-red Sakura.

Suddenly, a dark and freezingly horrifying feeling Sakura couldn't explain arose in her throat as she jumped back from Saitoshi and hugged herself for a warmth she didn't carry.

"Sakura! Are you alright?" Saitoshi cried worriedly, rushing over to the 16-year-old's side.

"Wha-what is this feeling…?" Sakura asked herself as she continued to shudder from the horrible feeling.

"SAKURA!" Hiro shouted, bursting through the double doors. "DEMON LARVAE!" Hiro spotted Sakura on the ground, still trembling, with Saitoshi beside her. _Huh? Did she already sense the Demon Larvae…?_ Hiro thought curiously as he stared at the two. _…It must be close then…_

"Sakura, where is the Demon Larvae?" Saitoshi spoke slowly and calmly, finally understanding what was going on with the shaking girl in front of him. The tora-like teen ceased her trembling and closed her eyes in concentration, trying hard to focus on where the evil aura was strongest.

_I can feel it near-by…It's right…_ Sakura's eyes flew open.

"There!" Sakura pointed outside towards the garden, where darkness was rapidly spreading like fire.

Hiro and Saitoshi changed into their Knight outfits in the blink of an eye, and Saitoshi picked Sakura up bridal-style as they flew out the window and down to the ground near the slowly dying garden. Sakura stared in horror as the beautiful flowers before her were slowly being eaten away by the darkness.

…_Why…why! Such innocent creatures…what did these flowers do to deserve this?_

"They were born…" A voice within the shadows answered the new Pretear's thoughts. Sakura whipped around to find the source of the voice, but found no one there.

"It's because these flowers were born that they're suffering now…" The spooky voice continued to drawl.

"As long as there is life in this world, everything will continue to suffer until the end of time…"

"That's not true!" Sakura burst out, her fists clenched.

"Daijoubu desu ka, Sakura?" Saitoshi and Hiro were staring at her strangely. Sakura turned to them, fear in her eyes.

"Di-didn't you hear that…?" She asked timidly.

"Hear what? This is no time to be playing games!" Hiro grouched, searching for the still-yet-to-come Demon Larvae.

"I'm not playing! The voice was real! At least…I think…"

The spooky creepy voice laughed harshly. "Oh you poor child! It seems **YOU** are the only one who can hear me…" It chuckled. Sakura was **really** starting to get worried now.

"Sakura!" The African-American whipped around to see the other Leafe Knights, the rest of the Awayuki's, and Tenshi in a combat outfit, similar to the one Hitori was also wearing, dash down the staircase towards them.

Sakura eyed her friend/sister's getup with a raised eyebrow. "Me and Hitori were about to have a match after we finished dinner, when Himeno-san sensed the Demon Larvae." Tenshi explained.

"It seems that you sensed it before me though, Saku-chan…" Himeno sighed. "Damn, I hate my old age…"

"Himeno, focus! We have bigger problems!" Hayate shouted as he and the other Knights transformed into their uniforms, for just then the ground started to move, and a hideous creature was emerging from the grave of flowers before them.

It was scaly, monstrous, gigantic, a pukey green color, and any other word you could think of for a Demon Larvae A yellow and black-slitted pupiled eye was protruding from a purple shell, with things that looked like boils on the body, and tentacles all around.

"**That** is a **Demon Larvae**??" Sakura made a sick face. "Ew, talk about **nasty**!"

"There's no need to worry about it now! Sakura, prete with me!" Saitoshi called, holding out his right hand. Sakura was about to take it when Hiro suddenly cut in.

"No. **I'll** do it." Everyone stared at Hiro, as if he had grown an extra head.

"First you objected to preting with her in the beginning, and NOW you **want** to?" Little Shinta asked confusedly.

"Yeah Hiro, quite a change of weather…" Sakura commented, crossing her arms.

"…There's…there's something The Princess of Disaster has of mine…" Hiro muttered, looking down at the ground. "And I want it back…if you go about recklessly destroying the Demon Larvae, you might also destroy it in the process…" Hiro looked Sakura in the eyes with such a deep hurt that it made Sakura feel like crying. " And I'll be damned to the 7 depths of hell if I let you take that chance…"

"Oh Hiro…" Hitori looked worriedly at her twin. "Why can't you accept the fact that she might be lost to you…?"

_Bewii? What's going on?_ Tenshi wondered as she stood beside Hitori on the sidelines, watching the drama unfold. (**Break out the buttered popcorn and recliners! X) **) Hiro held out his right hand to Sakura once more. Taking a deep breath, she took his hand as he lightly gripped her own. The familiar feeling of power returned to Sakura along with the multi-colored spheres of Leafe as she and Hiro fused together to create the New Wind Pretear.

"We'll be back-up, just in case you need it!" Himeno called from behind Sakura, already in her Wind Pretear getup. Sakura nodded towards her and took off into the night sky and towards the accursed Demon Larvae.

"How DARE you steal all of the Leafe from these radiant flowers!" Sakura yelled, earning the beast's attention.

"**_What's with the heroine speech?_**" Hiro grumbled in the back of her mind.

"I'll never forgive you for your evil actions!" Sakura continued, completely ignoring Hiro. "Besides, allowing you to run rampant will be a complete disgrace to my favorite color!" She said, gesturing to the Demon Larvae's murasaki shell. "For that, you must **DIE!**" Sakura snarled, clenching her hands in a claw-like manner.

"**_You thrive for this kind of thing, don't you?_**" Hiro heavily sweatdropped.

"Ah shaddup and tell me how to destroy this Kami-forsaken beast of burden!" Sakura snarled, itching to get the eyesore out of her sight once and for all.

"**_Just focus on the wind Leafe power that dwells within you and produce your weapon._**" Hiro instructed. Sakura closed her eyes to focus on her energy. Bad move, the Demon Larvae's tentacles shot out straight towards Sakura! Luckily, the Leafe Knights weren't sitting around, watching in horror and doing nothing like other idiots in other animes, and sprang into action just in the nick of time.

Meanwhile, Sakura was summoning the power of Wind Leafe as the Knights were busy distracting the Demon Larvae. A glowing sphere began to form in the New Pretear's hands as her eyes shot open, her brown orbs burning with determination.

"**WIND SWORD!**" Sakura called, and the glowing sphere transformed into an awesome blue-bladed sword with a cool stylized swirl-like gold pattern on it, circling around a small purple butterfly near the point of the sword.

"Hey, I did it!" Sakura stated proudly, twirling the sword around.

"**_Man, you did better than my mom on her first try…_**" Hiro observed.

"WHAT? Was that…a **compliment**, Hiro??"

"**_Don't go getting a swelled head…_**" Hiro started to grumble, when the murasaki butterfly on the sword caught his attention.

"**_Hey, isn't that…_**"

"What?" Sakura questioned.

"…**_No, never mind…it can't be…_**"

"?"

"HEY SAKURA!" The 16-year-old turned around to a shouting Tenshi down on the ground. "GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND KICK SOME DEMON LARVAE BUTT!" She yelled.

"YEAH, YOU CAN DO IT, SAKU-CHAN!" Hitori cheered as well.

"**_Don't they realize that I'M apart of this too?_**" Hiro sweatdropped once more.

"Oh, who cares? Just tell me how to destroy this monstrosity!" Sakura griped, starting to get bored and annoyed already.

"**_Look for its core, and then strike!_**"

"The core?" Sakura squinted, trying to find this so-called core.

Suddenly, one boily flesh part of the Demon Larvae caught Sakura's attention. "I found it!" Speeding like a torpedo, Sakura zoomed towards the core, ready to destroy it, when Hiro suddenly yelled out "**_STOP!_**" The New Pretear halted abruptly; therefore, throwing herself backwards slightly. "Wha? Hiro, why'd you stop me?" Sakura asked him, but didn't get a reply, for Hiro was too busy staring at the core. The shield protecting the core reflected a head, a girl's head to be exact, with short stylish black hair and baby blue eyes. She had a look of remorse and tears on her face.

"**_Kei…ko…_**" Sakura heard Hiro utter in disbelief.

"Huh?"

"Sakura! What's wrong?" The Knights all looked back at Sakura and ceased fire, giving the Demon Larvae the opportunity it needed. Lashing out with one of its many tentacles, the beast seized the New Pretear and started to steal all of her Leafe. She and Hiro both cried out in pain as the monster continued to its relentless attack.

"NO!" Tenshi tried to rush to Sakura's aid, but Hitori grabbed her and held her back.

"Don't be stupid, Tenshi! There's nothing you can do right now!" Hitori tried to reason with the resisting 15-year-old.

"LET ME **GO! **MY FRIEND AND SISTER IS **DYING** RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY EYES!" Tenshi cried, desperately trying to break free.

"**_I guess that's our cue…_**" Hayate said to Himeno, who nodded in agreement as she took off towards the Demon Larvae. But before anyone could do anything, the Demon Larvae suddenly flung Sakura away so she hit a near-by tree. The monster started to glow a bright purple, and then disappeared.

"It **vanished!**" Moki asked bewilderedly. The younger Knights looked at each other worriedly, while the older Knights frowned thoughtfully.

"**_What the hell just happened…?_**" Hayate asked. Himeno frowned.

"I'd like to know the exact same thing…"

Meanwhile on the ground, Tenshi and Hitori had dashed over to Sakura, who seemed unconscious. Tenshi knelt by Sakura's side, almost afraid to touch her for fear of injuring her further.

"S-Sakura…?" Hitori asked hesitantly. Suddenly, a panting Hiro appeared by Sakura's other side, sweating and with a big bruise on his head from when Sakura's head hit the tree. The tora-like teen instantly sat up, perfectly fine and in normal clothes.

"What happened?" She asked Tenshi, who sweatdropped.

"You IDIOT! You let the Demon Larvae get away!" Hiro immediately started shouting at Sakura. The African-American stood up and started shouting right back at Hiro.

"HEY! I WAS DOING JUST FINE BEFOR **SOMEBODY** STOPPED ME FROM DELIVERING THE FINISHING BLOW!" Sakura accused. Hiro went red in the face for some reason.

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU WERE ABOUT TO DEMOLISH AN INNOCENT SOUL!"

"WHAT INNOCENT SOUL! **I** DIDN'T SEE ANY INNOCENT SOUL AROUND!" Sakura turned towards the Leafe Knights, who had just touched down to the ground, and asked,

"Did you guys see anyone that didn't belong here? 'Cause **I **didn't!" The Knights all glanced at one another.

"No."

"Nope."

"Nada."

"Uh-uh."

"Nothing."

"Not me."

"There! So that settles it! Hiro is going insane!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"DID I STUTTER?"

"Hiro, stop this foolishness at once!" Himeno commanded, landing on the ground next to the Knights. Hiro swore under his breath.

"Ha ha!" Sakura teased.

"Y tu, Sakura!" Tenshi ordered in Spanish. Sakura pouted.

"Now Hiro, **calmly** explain to me what you saw." Himeno said. Hiro took a deep breath, then explained, "While Sakura was going for the core, I…I saw **her** reflection in the core shield…" Everyone in the group looked solemn, while Tenshi and Sakura plainly looked lost.

"Hmm… An Illusion Barrier…"

"Guaranteed to stop your foe from attacking…"

"That trick hasn't been used before…"

"Which **must** mean…"

"That the Princess of Disaster knows…"

"That we've chosen a new Pretear!"

"But how could she know…?"

For some reason, everyone turned to look at Saitoshi, who looked shocked and a little hurt about the accusing stares everyone (excluding Sakura and Tenshi) was giving him.

"…What?" He asked.

"Why are you all looking at me like that? Ah…" Something hit him. "You all think it was **her** again, don't you?" He asked them all with a disappointed look.

"Well, who else could it **be**?" Hayate said roughly. "Himeno is still here and she **obviously** isn't the Princess of Disaster!"

"But why does it have to be **her**!"

"There's no one else!"

"MY MOTHER IS INNOCENT!" Saitoshi shouted in a way that was unlike him. Silence.

……._His…his MOTHER?_ Sakura's mind questioned. _Takako-san?_ Saitoshi was trembling with anger and strife.

"You think…that just because she turned into the Princess of Disaster over 16 years ago…that she'll go back to her old ways…?" Saitoshi's bangs covered his eyes. "You sicken me…you **all** sicken me!" The Knight of Sound glared at the group of accusers furiously.

"The past is the past! What happened back then isn't **important** anymore!" Saitoshi shouted loud enough for the heavens to hear.

"If you all can't seem to grasp that fact, then I guess you don't need a **traitor** like me, do you!" Saitoshi stormed past them all and, before disappearing in a whirl of purple and sound, he bowed half-heartedly to Tenshi and Sakura. "I'm really sorry that you had to witness this." He whispered before vanishing. Sakura stared at the spot Saitoshi was milliseconds before, dumbstruck.

"Wow, talk about hostile relations…" Tenshi commented under her breath. Sakura wasn't listening though; she was too busy thinking about what Saitoshi had said. Her fists started trembling, and Tenshi, recognizing this as a sign, cautiously took a few steps back.

"How…how…? I don't understand…" Sakura whipped around to face everyone, angry tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "How can you accuse him and his family like that! Aren't you all supposed to be such good friends!" Tenshi gripped Sakura's arm nervously and said,

"Now Sakura, this is theirs and Saitoshi's business…" The angry tora-like teen wrenched her arm away from her friend's/sister's grasp.

"No. I may not know the whole story, but I **DO **know that they're **ALL** being unfair!" She snarled, her piercing gaze never leaving the group.

Sakura's harsh words cut through the remaining Leafe Knights and the Awayuki's, and made them feel major guilt to no end. "Saitoshi-kun is right!" Sakura continued to rant. "The past is in the past! Sure, I **may **disagree with him when he said that the past wasn't important, because the past **is** important! It's how people **acted** in the past that doesn't matter! Sheesh, this Takako person must have done **truly** horrible things for you all not to trust or believe her anymore…" The warmth from Sakura's eyes was gone, and a frozen fire replaced them instead, sending shivers down the guilty party's backs.

The African-American 16-year-old huffed, irritated and, deciding this was enough ranting for today, turned her back to the lot of them. "Screw this, I'm going to bed." She mumbled, walking back to the Awayuki Mansion, her nose in the air.

Tenshi stared at Sakura's back for a few moments, and then decided to follow, but not before frowning at the people that were responsible for Sakura's anger. The Leafe Knights and the female Awayuki's watched them go, shock and guilt plastered onto their faces.

"…You know…she could be right…" Gaki muttered quietly.

"She **is** right…" Himeno said, looking down from shame.

"They were…**are **our friends, and we were just unfair and turned on them…I feel like such a heel…"

"Me too…" Everyone agreed, even Hayate. Hiro; however, said nothing, and then unexpectedly disappeared in a whirlwind of blue.

**Awayuki Mansion**

Sakura stomped up to her room and changed into a tank top and pajama pants, grumbling all the way. She then flopped into bed, her back facing the doors to her room, waiting for sleep to overtake her. The door opened quietly, and Sakura turned her head to see Tenshi enter with caution out of the corner of her eye. "…What is it…?" Sakura asked while turning her head back to its original position. "Come to scold me because it wasn't my place to tell everyone off…?"

"…No. For once, I agree with your insane rantings, Saku-chan…it **was** a bit unfair of them to prosecute poor Saitoshi's family…" Sakura still wouldn't look at her, so the 15-year-old let out a big sigh. "This mansion is too depressing!" She declared. "Tell you what, let's go into town and shopping tomorrow, 'kay?"

"…Whatever…" Tenshi smiled.

"Alright! Buenas noches, Sakura-chan!"

"Hasta manana, Tenshi-chan."

**Leafenia**

Hiro strode nonchalantly around this mystical land, searching for a certain someone. _There he is._ His thoughts somewhat declared. Sitting at the entrance of a giant dead looking tree, was none other than Saitoshi, one of his arms propped up on a bent leg, his bangs covering his beautiful violet eyes. Of course, being the Knight of Sound, he heard Hiro approach before he even got there.

"What do **you** want?" He asked coldly, looking up at Hiro as he approached.

"I thought I'd find you here…" Hiro stopped short a few feet from Saitoshi, glancing around. "Quite a choice of scenery…" He commented quietly. Saitoshi stood up.

"Look, if you're here to convince me to come back, you can forget it, because-" Hiro held up his hand to silence the somewhat still annoyed Saitoshi.

"May I speak?" Saitoshi closed his mouth, waiting to hear what was so important that Hiro had to interrupt him for. Hiro turned to stare out into the sky, where a group of Tyipi was flying past.

"…You know, right after you disappeared, Petala-sa…**Sakura** started to yell at us about how unfair we were all being." Saitoshi stared in disbelief at Hiro, as Hiro continued to speak. "She said that the past was still important, but it's how people **acted** that didn't matter…"

"She…she did…?" Saitoshi was at loss for words. Hiro nodded.

"And believe it or not…I actually agree with her, because I was against the accusations from the start. She dared to say what I couldn't…" Hiro turned to Saitoshi with a raised eyebrow. "It seems she's become fond of you…" Saitoshi blinked, then smiled.

"She has, has she? Well, then maybe I have a chance against her big bad boyfriend." The Knight of Sound joked. Hiro merely rolled his auburn orbs.

**The Next Morning**

Sakura was sleeping peacefully in bed, dreaming about her boyfriend and his green eyes. Suddenly, his eyes changed to brown, and his long black hair was shortened and dyed brown as well. _Hmm?_ Sakura frowned in her sleep. _Now let's see…who do I know with brown hair and eyes…?_ Sakura's thoughts and dreams were cut short as something heavy jumped onto her bed. She shot up to find an excited Tenshi on the end of her bed, a huge grin on her face. "**_BEWII!_**" Tenshi's earsplitting cry of "Good Morning!" filled the room and gave Sakura a **major** headache. The 16-year-old groaned and flopped back onto her pillows, only to have her enthusiastic friend/sister rip the blanket off of her.

"Get up, sleepy head!" Tenshi shouted, dragging Sakura out of bed by her ankles and making her head hit the floor. "You promised me we'd go shopping today! So get up, get ready, and let's GET OUT OF HERE!" Tenshi cheered, as lively as ever. Sakura groaned once more.

"Why me…?" She grumbled, finally getting to her feet and walking over to her bathroom to get ready.

**Awayuki Town**

"Well, whaddaya know? Going shopping today **was** a good idea!"

"You only say that 'cause you bought all that jewelry!"

"I only bought a few necklaces and a ring!" Sakura countered, looking down at the new jewelry she was wearing. There was a metallic peace ring on her right middle finger, a Lance Armstrong band and a real turquoise bracelet on her right wrist, and a watch and many multi colored bracelets on her left wrist.(**I don't care what you sickos out there think what they mean, I like them because of the color and 'cause they're cool! XP **)

Around her neck was, of course, her purple flower necklace, but along with that was an awesome blue chocker with a pair of diary keys dangling from it, a purple stone necklace with an occasional small silver flower on it, and a black beaded necklace with a black stone in the shape of a heart with big blue beads surrounding it. (**I actually have all of these accessories, but they were all given to me by a friend/family member, so they're all sacred! XD **)

"Whatever, I'm gonna see if I can find a hobby shop around here, so I can get something for Kai."

"Oh, so you're actually **thinking** of him? How sweet…"

"Shut it, you!" Sakura didn't have time to retort, for she had just bumped into something.

"Oof!" The African-American stumbled back a little.

"Oh, I'm sor-Hey, where did the person I ran into go?" Sakura looked around wildly, but found no one.

"Hey! It's not nice to run into short people!" A voice pouted below. Sakura looked down. On the ground, rubbing her head full of black hair, most of it pulled back into two ponytails, and with red streaks through it, was a very short and **very** annoyed teen. She was wearing a scorching red tank top and baggy black jeans that had flames on the bottom. Realization dawned on both Tenshi and Sakura's faces as they stared down at the pale-skinned Asian shorty. As she looked up with a glare in her angry brown eyes, her expression immediately warped to match Sakura and Tenshi's.

"…Hiniku…?" Sakura sputtered in disbelief and shock.

**A/N: MWAHAHAHAHAAA! 'Nother cliffie, 'nother cliffie, 'nother cliffie, 'nother cliffie, 'nother cliffie! XD Gomen, been watching "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends." CHEESE ROCKS! He won't outmatch Blu though… Okay, this chapter was pretty good, I think. Used a lot of Spanish too…X) I'm just curious, though, about something… Which OC do you guys like best? I won't get mad if you don't vote for me though, promise!**

**Here's a list of the OC's and their titles:**

**Sakura Petala: Princess Pretear **

**Tenshi Tsukino Petala: Best friend/sister of Sakura. Skilled at Karate.**

**Hiro Awayuki: Knight of Wind**

**Hitori Awayuki: Twin sister of Hiro. Trained in 4 styles of Martial Arts.**

**Saitoshi Musika: Knight of Sound**

**Kato Hikari: Knight of Light**

**Gaki Hono: Knight of Fire**

**Moki Frost: Knight of Ice**

**Himura Tsunami: Knight of Water**

**Shinta Flora: Knight of Plants**

**Sorry, Invisible Love! You don't count yet, 'cause I haven't brought you fully into the story! Gomen! Anywayz, hope you liked the chapter! I really worked hard on it! So, go ahead, vote for your favorite character in your reviews, or Daddy Frying Pan and I WILL make a visit! (Glares at readers who don't bother to review) REVIEW, DAMMIT!**

**Translations **

**Tora: Tiger**

**Y tu: (Spanish) And you **

**Buenas Noches: Good Night**

**Hasta Manana: See you in the morning OR See you tomorrow**

**A/N2: This chappie has been edited!**


	5. Chapter 5: Interesting Events

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear **

**Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N: QUE PASSSSAA! (Giggle) My favorite phrase in Spanish. So peoplez, you enjoying the story so far? I am. I just LUUUUV torturing the cast! (Evil cackle) Anywayz, Do you guys see where I'm goin' with the whole "Golden Princess Pretear" thing? If not, then let me explain: You know how Himeno fulfills the Legend of the Snow White Pretear? And how in the full summary, it hints about, and I quote, "A Legend OLDER than Snow White?" And how when Sakura pretes, some of her clothes and accessories turn gold? C'mon, people, put 2 and 2 together, it's not that hard! Still clueless? Well too bad! You're just gonna have to be left in the dark until all is revealed! MWAHAHAHAHAAA! And yet, sooo many more questions for me to answer. Who's the mysterious girl that Hiro saw reflected in the core shield of the Demon Larvae? What's the Princess of Disaster have that Hiro wants back? What's the deal with everyone accusing Saitoshi's mother? (You should already know the story behind that one…) Who the heck is Hiniku? (Yeah, like you don't know already…--;) Why am I so demented? (Please don't answer that…) Well, let's sit back and find out together, shall we: )**

**Invisible Love: What are you, my beta reader? (I could probably use one though…) And you should go back over the mistakes you made in your REVIEW before you start to rant about mine! Ya short Asian…XD And you DO SO sound like Kai! So much that it's scary…o0 Oh, and one more thing…QUIT BEING A HOG AND LET SOMEONE ELSE REVIEW FIRST FOR A CHANGE! So selfish… J/K :P**

**Tenshi Hikari: Thank you, thank you again, I know I rock, whatever, yes I did, yes it is, shut your mouth you jealous monkey before I go tora mode on you, you're welcome, yes you do, whatever. XD**

**Dreamgirllogan: Arigatou! (Big smile) Yeah, I know how hard it is to get used to a new cast on one of your favorite animes, but that's what makes it fun: ) It made me swell with pride to hear that you adore my story! (Gives Dreamgirllongan 1,000 bishonen plushies and some country CD's)**

**Restlessloner: Thanks Lidia! Yes, we're all just a bunch of pervs. XD Hope you enjoy: )**

**RainingHeart: Uh…short review, but thanks for doing so anyway! Next time you review though, tell me what you thought of the chapter, please! P.S. I'm obsessed with Kingdom Hearts and Riku too! XD Who isn't?**

**Kaze, Kumo & Soullesswinds: Umm…thanks, I guess. And what did I do? I'm ALWAYS in trouble…(Sweatdrop)**

**This chapter dedication goes out to my girl in the flower state, (known as Florida) Dreamgirllogan! ROCK ON, COUNTRY GIRL! And Domoe Arigatos to Raining Heart as well for adding my story to her favorites also! (Gives Raining Heart Riku plushies) XD Okies, on with Chappie 5!**

**CHAPTER 5:Interesting Events**

"…Hiniku…?" Sakura sputtered in shock and disbelief. The three teens continued to stare at one another for a few more seconds, then each let out excited squeals and proceeded with a big group hug. "Hiniku!" Sakura and Tenshi squealed with delight. "Tenshi! Sakura!" Hiniku squealed back. They all separated and Sakura and Tenshi both started to ask the short Asian questions at the same time.

"Oh my Kami, what are you DOING here?"

"How did you get here?"

"Do your PARENTS know you're here?"

"Did you grow taller?"

Tenshi held her palm over Hiniku's head to measure her height while Sakura inspected it. "Nope! She's **still** a short Asian!" Sakura declared jokingly.

"Quit makin' fun of me, darn it!" Hiniku fumed. Sakura and Tenshi chuckled lightly.

"Anyway, seriously, what are you doing here, Sarcastic Death?" Tenshi queried, using the origin of Hiniku Shinderu's full name. Hiniku looked up at the sky, a blank expression on her face.

"…What **am** I doing here…?" She asked to no one in particular.

Sakura and Tenshi suffered through an anime fall. "You-you don't REMEMBER?" Sakura sweatdropped, gloom lines etched into her face.

"She's still as clueless as ever, I see…" Tenshi remarked, identical gloom lines and sweatdrop on her face.

"I HEARD THAT!" The fiery Asian flared up once more.

"Hiniku, I thought I told you not to wander off by yourself!" A masculine voice said from behind Hiniku, resting something on her head. The short Asian whipped around as Sakura and Tenshi watched to find a teen-age boy, about 17, with spiky pale blue hair in the front, and the rest of his navy blue hair ending in a sort of short tail at the back of his head. The blue triangles on his cheeks framed his slight frown, as his crimson eyes looked down at Hiniku, resting a plastic bag bearing a hobby shop logo on his adoptive sister's head. (**Hai, I am making the Russian Kai Hiwatari and the Korean/Chinese/Japanese Hiniku Shinderu siblings by adoption. Sheesh, so many ethnic backgrounds…Anywayz, Kai is the adopted one.**)

"You'll get lost in the crowds with how ditzy you act…" Kai continued, lifting his bag of valuables off of Hiniku's head just in time for her to explode.

"HEY! Just because you're older that me doesn't-"

"And taller…" Kai interrupted/corrected.

Hiniku sighed exasperatedly. "AND TALLER doesn't mean you get to boss me AROUND!" Hiniku pouted.

"Hmph." Kai replied crossing his arms and facing to the side, his eyes closed.

"Hmph yourself!" Hiniku shot back, imitating Kai's pose.

"Who were you talking to anyway, huh?" The anti-social Russian asked, opening one crimson eye carelessly.

Something somewhat similar to shock fleeted across Kai's face momentarily, as he caught sight of Sakura, and of course, his angelic and steady girlfriend, Tenshi. The two teens/sisters merely stared back at the two odd adoptive siblings like idiots. "OH! **NOW** I remember!" Hiniku piped up suddenly. "When I told Kai nii-san I was coming to Awayuki Island to see Sakura and Tenshi, Kai said he wanted to come along and see them too!" Hiniku stated happily, while Kai slightly sweatdropped.

"You…weren't supposed to tell her that…" Kai muttered, an "Oh brother…" look on his face.

"Oh, Kai! You really **DO** care!" Tenshi squealed, running to him with open arms and stars in her eyes. Kai held up his hands to stop her.

"Hey! Didn't we talk about this!" He asked her. Tenshi lowered her arms and crossed them behind her back.

"Oh right…no hugging in public…" Tenshi sighed somewhat sadly.

"And of **course** I care!" Kai continued, his back to Tenshi with a bit of annoyance in his voice. "I always have cared, always will…" His voice softened a little, and Tenshi swore that she could just make out a slight tint of red on Kai's cheek.

Sakura stared at the two lovebirds in envy.

"Lucky…" She tilted her head skyward, hands behind her head. "I guess Kenji was just too busy to come and see me…" Sakura thought out loud. Kenji's family didn't have a whole lot of money, so Kenji was always working his butt off to pay for his college tuition to become a doctor.

"But he DID want to come and see you, Saku-chan!" Hiniku claimed, popping up suddenly from behind Sakura. The tora-like teen; however, was used to Hiniku's behavior, so she didn't jump or flinch. She DID look surprised about what Hiniku had said, though.

"What did you say…?" Sakura questioned, turning around to face Hiniku.

"Yeah! Kenji really wanted to come, and he will! He just needs to finish working and packing, and he said he'll be here!" Hiniku beamed at Sakura, who couldn't help but imitate the short Asian's expression.

"That's GREAT!" Sakura exclaimed, starting to feel giddy.

_Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my GOSH! My boyfriend's coming! WAI!_ Sakura squealed in her head. (**Jeez, Saku's getting a little OOC… Sweatdrop**)

"AnyWAYS, let's go back to Awayuki Mansion so you guys can meet everyone!" Tenshi decided for the group, leading the way through the crowds of people, while Kai followed.

"Lucky, you guys get to stay in a mansion…" Hiniku pouted to Sakura, who was too busy planning all the things she and Kenji could do together in her head to pay attention to Hiniku.

**Awayuki Mansion **

"We're back!" Tenshi called, loud enough for Hayate, who was at the top of the staircase inside, to hear. "Konnichiwa, Hayate-sama!" Tenshi happily greeted, bowing to him once the group was at the top of the stairs with him. Sakura, who hadn't **quite** gotten over her anger towards Hayate and the others for yesterday's incident, merely nodded.

"Well, quite a group you've got here…" Hayate commented, eying the anti-social Russian and the fiery Asian.

"Oh yeah! Hayate-sama, this is Kai Hiwatari and Hiniku Shinderu. They're our friends!" A bubbly Tenshi piped.

"Is it alright if they stay here as well for a while? Onegai?" Tenshi pleaded, her "puppy-dog look" fully active.

"Well…" Hayate started, looking from one teen to the other, until his gaze rested on Sakura's face. The 16-year-old had an utterly scary face on, which plainly said loud and clear to Hayate: "If you don't let us have our way, I'm going to quit being Pretear!" And Kami knows how much trouble THAT would cause…

"Uh…go ahead, I don't mind…" Hayate murmured as he slowly inched away from the group, multiple sweatdrops forming on his head. Sakura's Look warped into a victorious smirk.

As they walked on, Tenshi nudged Sakura in the ribs. "I **saw** the Look you were giving Hayate-sama, Sakura-chan! That was evil!" The 15-year-old hissed, not being overheard by Hiniku, who was busy gawking at various things they were passing in the mansion as they were walking to hear, or Kai, who was too cool to care.

"What?" Sakura queried innocently. "It's not MY fault Hayate-sama is intimidated by 16-year-old girls…" Sakura continued to smirk in that twisted way of hers all the way until they reached the garden, where, unbeknownst to them, the Leafe Knights patiently waited for their return.

The first to notice their return were, of course, Saitoshi, who had heard them approaching, and Kato and Moki, eager to resume stalking their adored angel. As soon as Tenshi's ice blue bangs came into their view, both ran in a mad dash towards an unsuspecting Tenshi.

"TENSHI! MY LOVE!" Kato shouted, alerting Tenshi of the presence of her stalkers.

"YOU'VE FINALLY RETURNED!" Moki shouted as well, also earning Tenshi's attention. As they began to close in on poor Tenshi, her arms raised in defense, ready to attack if she had to, the two stalker Knights were jerked backwards and held in the air by their collars.

"Hey, what the-"

Kai held the two at bay, a calm yet somewhat dangerous look on his face. "And **who** exactly are **these** two?" He demanded to know, still hoisting Kato and Moki up by their collars, and chocking them slightly. Tenshi sweatdropped and began to rub the back of her head nervously.

"Well, um…"

"They're Tenshi's stalkers." Sakura cut in, somewhat lazily. Tenshi whipped around, fuming, to face a mischievous Sakura.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" She cried out in protest, her face red.

"WHAT?" Sakura held her hands up in defense. "Shouldn't your **STEADY BOYFRIEND** know about unwanted stalkers?"

Sakura put a heavy emphasis on "steady boyfriend"; just to rub salt in the wounds for the New Knight of Light and Knight of Ice.

"BOYFRIEND?" They both exclaimed in despair. Kai's eyebrow twitched noticeably.

"…Stalkers…?" He questioned through gritted teeth.

_Uh-oh…_ Sakura thought, as she, Hiniku and Tenshi watched as the angry Russian dropped the two stalker Knights to the ground and towered over them. (**I find this funny, 'cause Kai is only one year older than Kato! XD**) _Maybe I shouldn't have said anything…_

"Ya think?" Tenshi muttered, reading the expression in the tora-like teens eyes.

"Listen up, you losers…" Kai snarled, addressing the cowering forms of Kato and Moki on the ground before him. "If I get so much as a complaint from Tenshi about you two, you **both** will **deeply** regret it…" The icy glare that came from Kai was enough to make both Kato and Moki pass out cold on the ground. Tenshi grinned in spite of herself, knowing she had such a caring boyfriend, while Sakura and Hiniku merely rolled their eyes. Just then, Sakura felt eyes on her, and turned to find Hiro, standing next to a grinning Saitoshi, watching her.

She glared sharply at him, and he turned away.

_What's up with him?_ Sakura wondered in her head.

"Who ya starin' at?" Hiniku asked, suddenly appearing at Sakura's side.

"NO ONE!" Sakura yelled, her face flushed.

"I think the one with the violet eyes is hot!" Hiniku continued, as if Sakura hadn't spoken at all.

"Oh, you mean Saitoshi?" Sakura asked, suddenly interested in Hiniku's fascination with the flirtatious Knight of Sound. The 16-year-old suddenly grabbed Hiniku's wrist and was leading her over to Saitoshi.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Hiniku demanded to know, not liking the mischievous glint in Sakura's eyes.

"I'm gonna **introduce** you two!" Sakura exclaimed in "match-maker" mode, continuing to drag Hiniku over to an unsuspecting Saitoshi, who was busy talking to Hiro. As soon as Sakura made her appearance known to the two Knights, Hiniku quickly hid behind Sakura's tall form so she wouldn't be noticed.

"Hi Sakura-chan." Saitoshi greeted with that famous heart-melting smile of his. Sakura's face colored slightly, but she nonetheless managed to say in an even tone, "I see you're back and better, Saitoshi-kun…" Saitoshi's grin widened.

"Yeah, Hiro here was the one who convinced me to come back." Sakura's eyes widened in shock.

"Honto ne?" She asked, glancing at Hiro, who was determined not to look at her.

Saitoshi merely nodded. "I see you and Tenshi have company…" Sakura looked back to where Saitoshi was pointing. Gaki was checking for a pulse on the passed out forms of Kato and Moki, Shinta sitting on the ground next to them, cracking up about the whole situation, while Tenshi was introducing Kai to little Himura, who had become somewhat of a little brother to her.

"Oh! And speaking of company…" Sakura trailed off, suddenly remembering her "Cupid" plans.

She stepped to the side so Hiniku came into view. Suddenly aware that she was being stared at, Hiniku tensed up, unsure of what to do or say.

"Saitoshi, **this** is Hiniku Shinderu!" Sakura announced.

"Um…hi…" Hiniku said to Saitoshi in a small voice. Saitoshi smiled gently at Hiniku. "Hello. Nice to meet you." Saitoshi held out his hand, and Hiniku shook it, losing a little of her shyness.

"My name is Saitoshi Musika." The New Knight of Sound introduced himself, as soon as Hiniku let go of his hand.

"Musika…" Hiniku whispered to herself under her breath, frowning slightly. "AHH!" The short Asian cried suddenly, pointing at Saitoshi, who looked utterly bewildered.

"What? What?" He asked frantically, wondering what he did wrong.

"I KNOW YOU!" Hiniku declared, still pointing at the 17-year-old Knight. Sakura heavily sweatdropped at her ecstatic friend.

"Um…of **course** you know him, Hiniku-chan. He **just introduced** himself to you…" Sakura explained, trying to calm the fiery Asian.

"NO, NO, NO! THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Hiniku shouted, flailing her arms up and down. "You remember the guy I told you about? Whom I've been talking to since, like, EVER? **THAT'S SAITOSHI-SAN!**" Hiniku exclaimed, causing Sakura's mood ring to go orange with annoyance.

"Do you HAVE TO SHOUT? I'M RIGHT HERE!" Sakura shouted louder than Hiniku, causing the short Asian to wince.

"Eh heh…gomen…" Hiniku apologized, rubbing the back of her head and grinning sheepishly.

"Hiniku Shinderu…say, you wouldn't happen to be Firechick69, would you?" Saitoshi asked, calling Hiniku one of her **many** screen names on the Internet.

"Yeah!" Hiniku confirmed, turning to Saitoshi. "And **you're** SoundMeister009, right?" Saitoshi grinned.

"Correct. Wow, I never thought you would be one of Sakura-chan's friends! A **cute** one at that…"

"Flirt…" Sakura muttered, rolling her eyes as Hiniku beamed with bliss.

"Hey guys!" Hitori greeted, stepping out into the garden with a tray loaded with cookies and lemonade.

"Who wants a snack?" She offered, setting the tray down on a table near-by. Sakura watched as Kai and Tenshi, hand-in-hand, made their way over to the tray, as well as Hiniku, clinging to the arm of her newfound boyfriend. She let out a melancholy sigh, and headed inside.

"Hi, this is Kenji. I obviously am not able to take your call right now, but just leave your name and number, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible." Sakura didn't even wait for the beep as she closed her cell phone, sighing yet again.

_I guess he's working…_ Sakura thought, staring down at the ground.

"What're you doing?" The **other** voice besides Sakura's conscience that annoyed her so much spoke up. Her head snapped up to find Hiro, staring down at her, his eyes reflecting what seemed like pity.

"None of your damn business!" Sakura snapped, not in the mood to deal with Hiro. Hiro sighed harshly and rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

"I ask a **simple** question…" He began to rant, but Sakura cut him off.

"And I gave you a simple answer!" She spat. Hiro raised an eyebrow at her, then rested his left arm on the wall, right above Sakura's head, and leaned in so that they were almost nose-to-nose, his right hand in the pocket of his jeans. Sakura's mood ring switched from a ticked-off red to an embarrassed pink.

"Something's bothering you…I can tell." Hiro told her point blank, staring her straight in the eye.

"What's up with you?" Sakura stared at him, wondering why he even cared, and more shockingly, wondering why she was actually **glad** that he cared.

"…I'm not telling you what's bothering me until you tell me what's bothering **you**." Sakura stated somewhat boldly. Hiro's eyes widened. Here was a response he hadn't quite expected. Suddenly, both heard footsteps approach and stop at the end of the hallway, and turned to look.

Sakura was shocked to see a certain 17-year-old with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail, and lime green eyes watching the two.

"Kenji!" She exclaimed, pushing past Hiro and taking a few steps toward her beloved.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something…?" Kenji asked, looking between Sakura and Hiro and back again. By the way his voice sounded, if there **had** been anything going on, he was glad he was there to put a stop to it.

"Oh no, not at all! In fact, Hiro was **just leaving**…" Sakura emphasized, hoping Hiro would get the gist and beat it. Instead, he merely snorted and said, "You can't kick me out, this is my house!" Sakura gritted her teeth, **very** annoyed with Hiro, when Kenji suddenly asked.

"Saku, is this guy **bothering** you?" Sakura, sensing Kenji was about to go into "Over-protective" mode, waved her hands frantically.

"Oh no, please Kenji! I don't want you to cause any trouble…"

"Shyeah right, like he could even **scratch** me…" Hiro muttered in the background.

"What did you say?" Kenji shouted, a vein throbbing in his temple.

"STOP! Hiro, just go!" Sakura commanded. Hiro clucked his tongue, but went back outside anyway. "Sorry about that…" Sakura apologized, hugging Kenji.

"It's alright, it wasn't your fault." Kenji said, kissing Sakura on the forehead.

"I missed you…" They both whispered at the same time, then laughed at their own silliness.

"But more importantly, what were **you** doing with **him**?" Kenji demanded to know, frowning deeply yet again.

"Are you **jealous**?" Sakura asked, playfully slapping Kenji's chest.

"Well, DUH! I don't want these guys here to be hitting on my future wife!" Exclaimed a ticked-off Kenji. Sakura stared.

"…Future…what?" She asked. Kenji stared back at her, his head cocked.

"Well…don't you want to get married someday…?" He asked her. Sakura brown orbs widened.

"…I…"

"Hey Sakura-chan!" Hitori called, poking her head in from the garden.

She covered her interrupting mouth when she saw Sakura with Kenji. "Oops, sorry…" Hitori apologized. "I just came in to say lunch is ready!" And with that, Hitori went back into the garden and joined the others.

"…Um…let's go eat!" Sakura suggested. So with Kenji following silently behind her, Sakura was allowed to sink into her now somewhat troubled thoughts.

_Wow…marriage? I didn't know that Kenji was THAT serious about me…but…am I THAT serious about him…?_

And so, for the beginning and throughout lunch, Sakura was left to question her so called "vast" love for Kenji.

**A/N: Great way to end the chapter, ne? X) I SERIOUSLY could have done better on the chapter, but I'm satisfied enough with the ending. Well, this is out of the way. NOW I'm gonna go work on Chappie 3 for Kingdom Hearts: The beings that walk in the Twilight. It's my new fic! Kingdom Hearts luvers go check it out! And, of course, REVIEW! Until next time, Sayonara!**

**-MuraSakura**

**A/N2: Edited chapter. It's one of my shorter ones though, so it was slightly more bearable. XP Oh, and the aforementioned story in the about Authoress Note no longer exists. Sorry! **


	6. Chapter 6: WLISDC: Part 1

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear **

**A/N: Wazzup, peeps¿ Hehe, upside-down question marks are fuuun! XD Anywayz, ready for Chappie 6? Course ya are! X)**

**Hiro: (Grumbling) I'm not…**

**Saitoshi: You just say that 'cause Sakura-chan's gonna torture you to no end!**

**MuraSakura: …. (Grins evilly)**

**Hiro: (Sinks into gloom) Don't remind me…**

**MuraSakura: Aww, you know I love you, Hiro-kun!**

**Hiro: Really?**

**MuraSakura: NOT THAT WAY! Sicko….**

**Saitoshi: (cough) Uh…can we do the disclaimer now?**

**MuraSakura: Oh yes! Please do!**

**Saitoshi: The authoress of this fanfic DOES NOT own Pretear in any way, shape, or form. That right belongs to Kaori Naruse and Junichi Saitou. (MuraSakura pouts in background)**

**Hiro: She DOES, however, own the OC's that appear in this story, except for Tenshi-**

**Tenshi: (Pops up) BEWII!**

**Hiro: (rolls eyes) Who ALSO owns her favorite catchphrase…(cringes) "Bewii". Can we GO now?**

**MuraSakura: Fine. Get in places for the chapter!**

**Saitoshi: Hai! (Goes obediently)**

**Hiro: Whatever….(trudges along)**

**MuraSakura: Oh! And I also do not own Hiniku. That's Invisible Love's character! Anywayz, on with replies to reviews, and then the chapter! YOSH!**

**Invisible Love: Uh…Hiniku…? Ya MIGHT want to consider anger management. Empty threats, empty threats!**

**Dreamgirllogan: What cliffie? I didn't leave a cliffie! I just left something for you all to ponder 'till my next update. XP And don't thank me. You deserve it! **

**Tenshi Hikari: A. Thank you. B. Cause I can, and it's fun! XP C. I KNOW! D. Shut up. Yeah, you had me worried earlier that day…NEVER DO IT AGAIN! Yes, I WAS evil to Hayate-sama. (Smirks) It was fuuun! XD LOL, remind me the next time you invite me over to bring Kingdom Hearts, okay?**

**Raining Heart: It was, wasn't it? Thank you, thank you! X)**

**Starrychica82: Ah, still reading, are ya? Domoe Arigatou! (Smile)**

**Restlessloner: You're not alone, Lidia! I freaked out while I was typing it, thinking, "What if this ACTUALLY happened?" o.O And it's just me typing this fic! Just Saku! Hiniku-chan owns the other Pretear fic!**

**AwayukiLeafenia: Well, I'm glad you thought Chappies 1 & 2 were funny, but dude, this is MY story! I can type whatever the hell I want! (Whips out Daddy Frying Pan) Any questions?**

**Twin Psychos: (Smiles innocently) A cliffie? I have no idea what you're talking about, dear Kaze…(Runs off, cackling evilly) BTW, nice new pseudonym! **

**Now that THAT'S over, let us continue with the chappie. (Smirks mysteriously) There's gonna be a LOT of jealousy, fights, and new feelings asurfacing! Read on, if you dare…**

**Chapter 6:Why Love Is So Damn Confusing: Part 1 **

After Sakura had introduced Kenji to everyone, the two sat down and started to eat lunch. Sakura was out of it the whole time, Tenshi and Hiniku noticed, so, right after lunch, the two concerned friends took a spaced out Sakura back to her room for a quiet, private talk…

"SPILL!" Hiniku and Tenshi both yelled demandingly, once the doors to Sakura's room were shut.

"WHAT?" A startled Sakura yelled back.

"You've been out of it all through lunch! I thought you'd be happy that Kenji's here! What's up with you?" Tenshi asked.

"I AM happy! Really!" Sakura said, putting on a huge and fake smile that her friends saw right through.

"You don't SEEM like it…Oh my Kami, ARE YOU PREGNANT?" Hiniku yelled out suddenly. Sakura's face flared up.

"HELL NO! WHAT THE FRICK IS WRONG WITH YOU?" She screeched.

Hiniku hadn't a chance to reply, for they both were nearly knocked unconscious by a hard "THWAK!" on their heads.

"OWW! SHIT!" Sakura howled, only to be hit again.

"SUCH FOUL LANGUAGE!" Tenshi screamed, holding her trusty kendo stick threateningly. (**AAAAH! THE DREADED KENDO STICK! Runs away**) Hiniku and Sakura chose wisely to keep their foul mouths shut until Tenshi had simmered down.

Once Tenshi had reasonably lowered her Wooden Stick of Doom, Sakura waved her and Hiniku over so they could hear her, even though there was no way anyone else would here her. "You weren't there…" She started, glancing at the two nervously. "…When he told me he wanted me to be his bride…"

"WHAT?" Tenshi and Hiniku questioned simultaneously. The tora-like teen winced at the yelling, but nodded vigorously as well.

"Yeah…" She plopped down on the bed, sighing.

"…Well…was he serious…?" Hiniku asked, sitting down beside Sakura. The African-American sighed once again.

"It didn't seem like he was joking…"

"Hmm…the wife card, huh?" Hitori asked, suddenly found standing beside Tenshi, appearing to be in deep thought.

"AAAACK!" The three BFF's yelled, jumping at Hiro's twin's sudden appearance.

"Hi-Hitori? When did YOU get here?" Tenshi asked weakly, gloom lines sinking into her face at the shock.

"…Hmm? Oh, I was here for quite some time!" Hitori stated cheerfully.

"I heard you guys yelling while I was coming up the stairs, and decided to see what was going on! Sooo…" Hitori leaned over to stare at a freaked Sakura at eye-level.

"Is this Kenji of yours insecure?"

"Huh?"

"Well, if he WASN'T, he wouldn't be talking about marriage, now would he? At such a young age at that…"

"Oh, no! It's not like that! He just loves me!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, REALLY!"

"I see. And do you love him as much as he loves you?"

"Of course I-"

Sakura paused. Whatever was helping her to answer Hitori's nosy questions suddenly disappeared, and she was left speechless. Hitori tutted.

"Doubt. A major crisis in a relationship…" Still shaking her head, Hitori made her way over to the double doors of Sakura's room. Her hand rested on the door handle and she looked back at the three friends.

"Oh, and before I forget…Mom and Dad are going into town for awhile. They're trusting us not to destroy the house **too **much…" And with that last statement and a flip of long auburn hair, Hitori was gone.

Tenshi and Hiniku averted their gaze to Sakura, who was staring blankly at the floor.

…_Why didn't I answer Hitori's question…? I DO love Kenji…don't I?_

"Well? Do you?" Tenshi the Mind Reader asked. Sakura was silent.

"…I don't know…" She replied glumly. "Why is this happening to me…?" Hiniku and Tenshi, taking this as a sign that they should leave, quietly tiptoed out of the room to give Sakura some "Chill Time." Sakura heard them go, but didn't bother to call them back. "What is with me…?" She asked herself out loud.

Shaking her head, the confused Pretear went over to the balcony over-looking the back garden of the Awayuki Mansion to clear her head. She took a breath of fresh air and looked down into the garden below, watching the flowers (what was left of the live ones) sway in the wind's gentle breeze.

"…Maybe I'll go back into town for a while…" Sakura decided.

…

Kenji aimlessly wandered the vast halls of Awayuki Mansion, not having the faintest clue as to where he was going.

_Where in the world did Sakura wander off to now?_ His mind demanded to know. He had spent the past 30 minutes trying to find her, and had, quite literally, gotten nowhere. Kenji was so busy pondering on where his beloved had disappeared to, that he ran smack dab into Saitoshi, who seemed to be lost in thought as well.

"Sorry. My fault…" They both apologized in unison after coming to their senses.

"…" They both stared at each other.

"…You're Sakura-chan's boyfriend, right? You're a lucky man…" Saitoshi smiled playfully. Kenji raised an eyebrow, but couldn't help but join in the game.

"You wouldn't be trying to **steal** her from me, now would you?" Kenji and Saitoshi smirked.

"…Maybe…" Saitoshi replied with a devilish grin. The two laughed at their little joke. "Nah, my girl would get pissed if she found that out."

"So true…" Kenji agreed, thinking of Hiniku and her fiery wrath.

"…Hey, have we met before…? I mean, before I came here…" The green-eyed 17-year-old questioned with a quizzical look. Something about this ashy-haired teen was faintly familiar, somehow… Saitoshi gave Kenji an inquiring look.

"I don't think so…why?"

"It's just…no, never mind. Forget it…"

"?"

"Uh, speaking of Sakura, have you seen her anywhere?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, you just missed her. She said she was going into town for a while."

"Oh, alright. Thanks."

Kenji walked past Saitoshi in pursuit of his girlfriend. Saitoshi chewed on his bottom lip. Should he have told Kenji that Hiro secretly followed Sakura into town as a bodyguard as well? Saitoshi thought of the memory of him catching the glares that were shot from the two at each other during lunch, and thought better of it. Still, things could get ugly between the three… Saitoshi smirked and disappeared in a flash of purple light and sound. **Here** was something interesting that he sure as hell did **not **want to miss.

**Sakura's POV** (**Yes, I'm switching POVs for this chappie! MWAHAHAHAAAA**!)

I turned around for what seemed like the thousandth time, my gaze sweeping the street that I had just come up. I could have sworn my soul to the Devil that someone had been following me, watching me…

Or maybe I'm just going mental.

I prefer to think the latter than to possibly consider the fact that I just might have a stalker. I would NOT like to be in Tenshi's shoes. Shrugging my shoulders, I turned back around and continued up the street. I had a purpose for roaming around town for the second time today. I had to try and keep certain thoughts and problems out of my head for a while…

And then, even though I had barely brushed the subject, my demented little mind just HAD to pop a picture of Kenji before my eyes, my unfortunate ears ringing with the haunting words he had whispered to me earlier.

"_Well…? Don't you want to get married someday…?_"

I frantically shook my head to clear it of all thoughts, my hair whipping at my face harshly and causing it to sting a little.

Why, dammit! Why was my mind so insistent on torturing me from the inside out? I growled quite loudly, pulling hard at my hair to ease my stress. Then, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end; I could have sworn that I heard someone behind me snicker at my weird behavior. I wheeled around, ready to catch the culprit red-handed this time…but I, once again, found nothing but a gentle breeze caressing my face.

I really enjoyed the wind, ever since I was a little girl. I always felt like, whenever the wind would blow, I could just fly away from my troubles. Although…now my view of the carefree wind was slightly tarnished, thanks to a certain auburn-haired teenage boy…Damn you to hell, Hiro!

"A-CHOO!"

Huh? A sneeze? What the- Ah, FORGET IT!

I marched away from the spot I was frozen in, determined not to turn around and shout, "Who the hell is there? COME OUT ALREADY!" If I had said that, it would have seemed that I was paranoid. I wasn't paranoid! That's Hiniku's job. But still, it did feel like I was being watched, or followed, or possibly both…

"Hello, Sakura-san!"

Eh? Wait a minute, who's calling me? I flicked my head this way and that, but saw no one.

"Down here, Sakura-san!"

I looked down; expecting to find some talking creature that miraculously knew my name. (Hey, after I've been made Pretear, I'm starting to believe that anything's possible!) Instead, I was looking down into the sweet little face of Shinta Flora.

………

AWWW! HE'S SO ADORABLE!

Shinta smiled in that cute little innocent way of his. "Hi, Sakura-san!" He said so sweetly. ….AWW! I CAN'T HELP MYSELF! I picked Shinta up and pulled him into a big bear hug.

"Hi Shinta! Aww, you're sooo cute!" I gushed.

"S-Sakura-san…" I looked down at Shinta. His small, pudgy face was turning green, and even though he's the Knight of Plants, I know for a fact that his face is NOT meant to be that color.

"Oops, sorry, Shinta-chan…" I sweatdropped and put Shinta down, allowing him to breathe properly. "What're you doing here, Shinta-chan?" I asked plainly out of curiosity. Shinta's serene face suddenly warped into a pout. I frowned. "What's wrong?" I coaxed, kneeling down so that I was eye level with the 5-year-old.

"Lately, I've been alone a lot…" Shinta told me quietly. I tilted my head to the side. Hm, why was that? "Himura's always off with Tenshi-san, so I hardly get to see him anymore…Hawu…" Shinta sighed sinking to the ground.

" 'Hawu…?' " I blinked in confusion. Was Shinta trying to imitate Tenshi so Himura would play with him again?

"That's what Himura is sayin' all the time now. He says he wants a catchphrase just like 'Tenshi-onee-chan.' Hawu…" Ah. That explained things.

"Shinta…are you…jealous of Tenshi…?" I asked cautiously. Shinta's green orbs widened as he looked up at me.

"Of course not!" He denied, folding his arms and pouting cutely. "Why would I be jealous of Tenshi-san just 'cause she's cooler an' smarter an' funner than me, an' that she an' Himura hang out all the time now, an' that Himura likes her best an'…an'…"

Shinta's voice cracked. Suddenly, he burst into tears. I sweatdropped heavily. Uh oh…what do I do now?

Trying quickly to calm the kid down, I awkwardly patted him on the back, trying to soothe him. "Hey hey, calm down. It's alright…I'm sure Himura doesn't MEAN to ignore you the way he does…" This blunt fact succeeded in making little Shinta cry harder. Now I was starting to get desperate. So, I picked the little tyke up, cradling him in my arms, and carried him into an alleyway to keep the other nosy by-standers from staring.

"Shh. It's okay Shinta…don't cry." The young Knight of Plants started to hiccup. Just then, inspiration hit me. My mother used to sing me this song to get me to go back to sleep after a bad dream. And from where I was standing, this seemed like a nightmare to Shinta. So, ever so softly, I began to sing while cradling the troubled tyke.

"Hush now, my baby. Be still love, don't cry. Sleep as you're rocked by the stream. Sleep and remember my lullaby. So I'll be with you when you dream." Shinta stopped hiccupping and settled down, his eyes closed, quietly breathing, as if the song had really lulled him to sleep. Heh, works every time.

"So, managed to calm him down, eh? I commend you, usually only his mother can do that…" I whipped around, Shinta held securely in my arms. My eyes widened as shock and embarrassment, as I stared into the face of…

**Hiro's POV**

I smirked at the look on Sakura's face. She was so fun to sneak up on. And this time, she couldn't yell or hit me, because she had a sleeping tyke in her arms. She must have realized this fact too, because it took her exactly 15 minutes to control her anger without taking it out on me. "How long…have you been there…?" She asked/snarled through gritted teeth. My smirk grew bigger as I decided to poke some fun. After all, what could she do?

"What? You don't like the fact that I heard you singing?"

"Shut the hell up!"

"Hey, watch the language. There's a 5-year-old present."

"He's asleep, dummy…"

"Still, people can hear things while they sleep. Leafe Knights are specifically trained to do so."

Sakura sweatdropped. "What the…"

"Besides, you sing really good…" A slight blush creeped it's way into Sakura's cheeks. I wondered why for a second, then realized what I had just said to her, and my face grew hot as well. I turned around quickly and turned my back on her so she wouldn't see how embarrassed I was.

Jeez…WHY DIDN'T I THINK BEFORE I OPENED MY BIG MOUTH?

Okay Hiro, stay calm. You can turn this around. Just focus on a good insult…

"Yeah…" I confirmed, turning around to face her. She was still blushing. "Your singing is really nice…like a crow's!"

Bingo. Sakura's face contorted in rage, which I found highly amusing. You may think I'm a jerk for teasing her so much, but trust me, when you witness her getting angry, it's hilarious. That's why I annoy her all the time.

"You…you…YOU!" She screeched comically. I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Ha! You can't do anything to me, 'cause your hands are full!" I taunted, reminding her she was still holding a sleeping Shinta in her arms. Sakura looked at me, a weird expression on her face, as if it were saying, "Oh, you idiot…" to me, and then she kicked me in the groin.

EVIL GIRL!

I keeled over, fighting back the tears that were stinging the corners of my eyes. I glared up at her and she simply smirked back at me, a triumphant look in her eyes. "My legs weren't busy…" She simply said, her smirk growing.

Dammit…I've been outsmarted by a baka…

**Authoress' POV**

A couple of hours later, Shinta woke up. Sakura and Hiro decided to get some ice cream, which the young Leafe Knight of Plants was VERY enthusiastic about. While walking and eating the ice cream, Shinta spotted a playground, and dragged Hiro and Sakura over to the swings. Once Sakura had given Shinta his starting pushes, he began to swing on his own, and Hiro and Sakura sat down on a near-by bench and watched him. The two hadn't spoken to each other since the kicking incident, and the quiet was starting to get on Hiro's nerves. Finally, he swallowed his pride and broke the frosty silence.

"You know, if I'm never able to have children, I'm suing you."

The African-American teen glared at Hiro. "Keep talking, and I'll make certain that you can't have children." She threatened, turning her head away in a huff. Hiro frowned. What was her problem? She wasn't the one who got kicked!

"I'm just trying to make conversation! Jeez…" Hiro sighed exasperatedly. Sakura rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh yeah, talking about suing someone is GREAT conversation…" She replied sarcastically. Hiro was getting frustrated now.

"Well, what was I supposed to say?"

"What about asking me a question?"

"A question? About what?"

"Well, what do you wanna know?"

"Nothing, really."

"You're not curious about anything about me? Like how old I am, or when my birthday is?"

"Why would I care?"

Sakura glared once more at the Knight of Wind. "Just speaking the truth." He said, holding his hands up in defense. Sakura sighed in frustration and slumped down on the bench.

"Never mind, forget it…" She grumbled. There was a moment of silence, and then Hiro spoke up again.

"Hey Sakura…"

"What?"

"Toshi wa o-ikutsu desu ka?"

The Pretear anime-fell off of the bench. "YOU WANNA KNOW NOW?" She asked ludicrously, back on her feet and staring at Hiro as if he had just said the stupidest thing in the world. (He did, actually…) Hiro merely shrugged in response.

"Well, my curiosity got the better of me…" He simply stated. Sakura growled and pulled her hair in extreme frustration for 5 minutes, then calmed down and sat back down on the bench.

"I'm 16. Anata?"

"18."

Sakura stared open-mouthed at Hiro yet again. "NO WAY! You're 2 years OLDER than me?" She queried. Hiro looked over at her, his eyebrows raised.

"How old did you think I was?" He asked. Sakura sweatdropped and rubbed the back of her head anime-style.

"Eh heh, well, I'm sort of a hypocrite, so I tend to think that most teens I hang out with are my age…" She explained. The Knight of Wind quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Hm. You have a weird way of thinking…" He commented. The 16-year-old tora-like teen puffed her cheeks out in a pout, folded her arms and slumped down onto the bench again.

"I know. Don't rub it in…" She muttered. A sudden snort from Hiro's direction brought Sakura out of her momentary pout. She looked questioningly at Hiro to see him…WHOA! Sakura rubbed her eyes and blinked three times, just to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Sitting there next to her, trembling slightly with one hand over his mouth, was Hiro, Mr. Handsome-but-Heartless, LAUGHING!

"HA HA HA! AH HA HA HA HA!" Hiro laughed, taking no notice of the surprised stare Sakura was giving him. Too perplexed by this image, Sakura could only ask, "What's so funny?"

"Ah ha ha ha! I'm sorry…it's just…the way you said that last sentence…it was just so…ha ha ha!" Hiro couldn't finish the sentence, for he was too busy laughing. Sakura, who then decided to take advantage of that moment, whipped out a camera and took as many pictures of Hiro laughing as she could.

The sudden flashes shocked Hiro and blinded him for numerous seconds. When he regained his sight, he looked over at Sakura, a "What the hell?" look on his face. "What was THAT all about?" He queried, as Sakura safely tucked the camera away.

"Proof. That you're actually human." The African-American replied. Hiro gave her a Look.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, me and Tenshi made a bet for 500 yen. If I could prove you were human, she has to pay up. She had this theory that since you've never smiled or laughed, you were some kind of alien or robot. So, since these pics will prove her wrong, I get 500 yen! Yosh!" Sakura proclaimed, holding up a victory sign. Hiro sweatdropped.

"You two betted on me?" He asked, a vein slightly pulsating in his temple. Sakura sweatdropped and quickly said, "Hey, I'll share the profit if you want…"

"Keep your stupid money." Hiro growled, ticked off at the fact that he had been the subject of some meaningless bet without realizing it. _Uh oh…I made him mad…and this time, I actually feel BAD about it!_ Sakura thought, startled at that sudden realization.

"Um…Hiro?"

"What?" The grumpy Knight of Wind snapped back. Sakura winced slightly at his attitude. That did it!

"Hiro…I want us…to be friends…"

Hiro's eyes widened. "What?" He asked, looking over at Sakura's determined face.

"Look, all we do is argue when we see each other, and frankly, it's making me sick. From the start, I've wanted us to get along. Things just…didn't work out that way in the beginning. I can tell you're really lonely, deep inside Hiro. I know that all you want is a friend…" Sakura leaned closer to Hiro and looked him in the eye. "…Will you let me be that friend?"

Hiro stared. …_How? How can she just…READ me like that? Like an open book…?_ He wondered. Nobody had been able to tell him so much of the truth about himself for so long…why her?

"Will you, Hiro?" Sakura's eyes looked hopefully up at him. Hiro stared at her for a few more seconds, and then smiled at her.

A genuine smile.

Sakura stared at Hiro. Suddenly, her heart rate began to speed up, and her temperature went up as well. She blushed furiously, but couldn't look away from Hiro and his smile. _…What…? What's happening to me…? Why do I suddenly feel these things for Hiro…? What's going on?_

**A/N: Ooooh, new feelings. Told ya! Yeah, I know another cliffie, but be grateful I updated, jeez! Well, I'm outta here, Happy Thanksgiving! Ja!**

**-MuraSakura**

**Translations:**

**Toshi wa o-ikutsu desu ka- How old are you**

**Anata- You**


	7. Chapter 7:WLISDC: Part 2

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear **

**Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N: O.O When was the last time I updated this story! Kami, it's been AGES! Gomen! But don't sweat it; I have WAY too many ideas to just drop this story! I WILL work hard! Please continue to cheer me on! (If I still have any fans hanging on…) **

**Hiro: ABOUT TIME!**

**MuraSakura: Hey, do NOT forget that I control your entire existence, Hiro! One wrong move and I'll kill you off!**

**Saitoshi: Well, technically, that'd ruin your story, Sakura-chan…**

**MuraSakura: Shh! He doesn't need to know that!**

**Hiro: Oh whatever. Anyway, the author of this story doesn't own Pretear in any way, shape or form. She's just borrowing the anime for her own weird purposes… (MuraSakura bashes Hiro in the head with Daddy Frying Pan) ITEE!**

**Saitoshi: (Sweatdrop) Uh… She DOES own us, though, and all the other new Leafe Knights, and her character.**

**MuraSakura: (Is done abusing Hiro) Thanks Saitoshi. Yeah, and Tenshi owns her character, and so does Hiniku. Well, you guys know the drill! Answer to reviews, then the much anticipated CHAPTER 7!**

**Adoring Fans: YAY!**

**Twin Psychos: (Falls on her butt laughing) AHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA! ….Oh, you were serious about the whole wrath thing, Kaze? (Blinks) Jeez, relax, here's Chapter 7, ya weirdo. : P**

**Invisible Love: Hiniku, it's not nice to call names. (Tsk!) What would your mother say? XD And there wasn't much humor because I wasn't TRYING to be funny that much! I'm reaching the dramatic climax in the story, gosh! (Shakes head) No one understands good writing nowadays…XD**

**Dreamgirllogan: O.O Nooo, don't cry your eyes out! If you do, how will you read my story? T.T Well, here's Chapter 7!**

**Restlessloner: Sorry, no refunds, Lidia! XD And I didn't exactly hurry, but be happy I'm finally writing again! LOL.**

**Starrychica82: Ooh, having Writer's Block sucks! I had it for a while as you can see. --; But, obviously, I have now gotten over it. And I am READY to write like crazy! XD**

**Darkkillerfairy: Thanks, here's the next chapter!**

**Maryann15: Arigatou! Hope you like this chapter!**

**Anilucard: I like your enthusiasm! Reminds me of…me! XD Here's your update!**

**CHAPTER DEDICATION! BUM BUM BUUUM! XD I hereby dedicate this chapter to Maryann15 and Anilucard, who recently put me on their favorites list. YOU ARE AWESOME! (Glomps Maryann15 and Anilucard and gives them Leafe Knight plushies) Okay! Chapter 7 begins…NOW! (Oh, did I mention this chapter is a part 2 to the last chapter:P)**

**Chapter 7: Why Love is so damn confusing: Part 2**

A sweet summer breeze blew through the trees and the hair of a certain ice blue-banged 15-year-old. She sighed peacefully, her mahogany brown eyes entranced by the pale blue sky. Tenshi was relaxing in the Awayuki Gardens, with Kai at her side, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. The two had to get away from the mansion for a while; the chaos ensuing inside was suffocating. Tenshi watched as Himura splashed his hand in a pond near-by, and laughed amusedly when he fell in. But, knowing that he was the Knight of Water, she knew he would be alright. Her gaze traveled to the patch of flowers that had been sucked nearly dry of their Leafe a few days back. The surrounding atmosphere was trying its best to restore it, but not much was helping, since the Demon Larvae that stole the Leafe in the first place was still at large…

Tenshi's eyes saddened as she sighed softly, not going unnoticed by Kai. "What's wrong?" He asked, looking at her out of the corner of his crimson eyes. Tenshi immediately smiled, not wanting to worry her boyfriend.

"Oh it's nothing, Kai. Really, I'm okay." She lied. Kai arched an eyebrow. He knew better than to believe what she said. He knew that sigh, and when she sighed like that, something was **definitely** up. He pushed himself off from the tree, and went to join Tenshi on the bench she was sitting on. He looked into her eyes and caressed her cheek with his hand, which made her blush like crazy.

"You know I know you better than that, Tensh." Kai spoke softly, using his nickname for Tenshi. "It's alright to tell me if something's wrong. You can trust me."

_Oh Kai…_ Tenshi thought, her eyes filled with happiness. _You care for me so much…_

"I **do **trust you, Kai…it's just…well…"

"TENSHI!"

Tenshi and Kai's moment was ruined by the sound of a panic-stricken voice belonging to Hiro. He was running faster than the speed of light, obviously in a whirl about something. Tenshi's brown eyes widened at the sight of an unconscious Sakura being carried in Hiro's arms. "Oh my Kami! WHAT HAPPENED?" The star-obsessed teen demanded to know, running the rest of the way to Hiro.

"I don't know!" Hiro answered, still panicking. "We were in the park, when she suddenly collapsed! Her eyes, like, rolled into the back of her head, and she passed out!"

…_This has happened before… _Hiro realized, as he stared worriedly at the unconscious teen in his grasp. _She passed out when we first met too…_

Tenshi, knowing that this situation would only go from bad to worse if they just stood there freaking out about it, directed Hiro to take Sakura into the mansion with Kai's help, and proceeded with getting Himura out of the pond. When it came time for her to explain the situation, she wanted everyone to be there to hear her. That way, she wouldn't have to repeat herself. _Hang on, Saku! _Tenshi thought determinedly, rushing up to Sakura's room, where everyone was bound to be. _I'm coming!_

* * *

Everyone crowded into Sakura's bedroom, surrounding her bed. The Cherry Blossom princess lay there, shivering and sweating, and breathing heavily. Hiro stood over her, a dark look on his face, with a worried Hitori at his side. 

"What's wrong with her, Hiro?" She kept asking. "What's wrong?"

But Hiro wouldn't answer her. He couldn't. _…Could this have been caused by…something I did…?_ The new Knight of Wind pondered to himself.

**Flashback**

"_Hiro…I want us…to be friends…"_

_Hiro's eyes widened. "What?" He asked, looking over at Sakura's determined face. _

"_Look, all we do is argue when we see each other, and frankly, it's making me sick. From the start, I've wanted us to get along. Things just…didn't work out that way in the beginning. I can tell you're really lonely, deep inside Hiro. I know that all you want is a friend…" Sakura leaned closer to Hiro and looked him in the eye. "…Will you let me be that friend?" _

_Hiro stared. _…How? How can she just…READ me like that? Like an open book…?_ He wondered. Nobody had been able to tell him so much of the truth about himself for so long…why her?_

"_Will you, Hiro?" Sakura's eyes looked hopefully up at him. Hiro stared at her for a few more seconds, and then smiled at her. _

_A **genuine** smile._

_Sakura stared at Hiro. Suddenly, her heart rate began to speed up, and her temperature went up as well. She blushed furiously, but couldn't look away from Hiro and his smile. _…What…? What's happening to me…? Why do I suddenly feel these things for Hiro…? What's going on?

"Umm…we should, uh he-head back now…" The flustered teen began, finally tearing her gaze away from the new Knight of Wind's handsome features and getting up to get Shinta off of the swings. If Sakura could get a speeding ticket for how fast her heart was racing right now, she'd be up to her neck in them.

_What is WRONG with me? I'm in love with Kenji! And ONLY Kenji!…But…Hiro DOES have a handsome smile…NO! BAD SAKURA! KENJI is the one you want! C'mon, keep it together! _The inner battle between Sakura's common sense and her hormones was making her head spin, and she swayed slightly.

Hiro was following her, a little disgruntled that she wanted to leave so abruptly, when he saw Sakura stumble a bit. A little concerned, (Though he didn't show it…) the new Knight of Wind rushed to catch up with her, and put a hand on her shoulder. Her skin tingled slightly and she turned to look at Hiro, a hand pressed to her forehead to massage her temple.

"You okay?" Hiro asked in a would-be casual voice, his eyebrows arched.

"Ah…" Sakura wanted to say, "I'm fine." But that really wasn't the case. Her mind was going into overdrive, putting her into a stress level two times higher than the one she was supposed to maintain. _Oh no…it's happening again…_ A wave of nausea overwhelmed the African-American teen, and she couldn't hold out any longer.

Hiro's eyes widened as he watched Sakura's eyes go blank, and she lost her balance and fell backwards.

"Sakura!"

Meanwhile, in the bushes, a certain violet-eyed teen with the gift of extraordinary hearing was staking out. _Hm. Seems Kenji-san was unsuccessful in finding Sakura-chan and Hiro-kun. Damn, I wanted to see a fight. _Saitoshi's more mischievous thoughts complained. But he didn't mind much; what Sakura and Hiro were conversing about was WAY more interesting. _Hmm…why would Sakura want to be friends with hotheaded Hiro, when she has someone like ME to be friends with…? _Saitoshi wondered, getting just a little jealous. Of course, if Sakura or Hiro merely took the time to just turn around, they'd notice Saitoshi in the bushes just a few feet away from them. Sure, Saitoshi COULD have hidden a safe distance away from them and still have heard everything perfectly, but he was not gifted with extraordinary sight, so here he was.

_I may wind up having glasses like Dad…_ Saitoshi thought, an image of his father, Sasame, with his frameless glasses coming to mind. When Sakura suddenly stood up, the new Knight of Sound was brought back down to Earth, and resumed spying on the two. _…Hm…? That's odd… Sakura's breath has quickened. _Saitoshi observed with his superb hearing. _I wonder what's…_ The new Knight of Sound didn't have to finish his sentence. Even though he didn't have the best eyesight in the world, he still saw Sakura faint. Forgetting he was supposed to be undercover, Saitoshi popped out from the bushes and rushed over to Hiro, who was trying to get Sakura up.

Hiro raised a quizzical eyebrow at the ashy-haired teen. "Where did YOU come from?" He asked suspiciously. Saitoshi always seemed to pop up out of nowhere. (**A/N: Sound familiar? XD**) The new Knight of Sound gave Hiro an exasperated look.

"There's no time to explain! We have to get Sakura-chan help!" Saitoshi reminded Hiro, trying to show him what was TRULY important at that moment.

"Oh, right." Hiro muttered, resuming panic mode. _Why is this happening to her…?_

"Hiro-kun…? Saitoshi-kun? What's wrong with Sakura-chan…?" A childish voice queried from behind the two Leafe Knights. Shinta, who, it seems, got bored of the swings, had wandered over, wondering what the big fuss was about.

Before Saitoshi and Hiro had a chance to reply, Sakura cried out, as if she were in pain. Her body started jerking and writhing this way and that, like being dragged around by strings like a marionette. Seeing the normally active Sakura this way upset Shinta, and tears welled up in his wide green orbs.

"Wh-what's wrong with…with Sakura-chan…?" Shinta choked up and started bawling right there on the spot. Getting frustrated, Hiro scooped Sakura up bridal-style, and said to Saitoshi, "You take care of Shinta. I have to get Sakura back home."

Saitoshi nodded in agreement, and Hiro took off, Sakura's now limp body held securely in his strong grip. _Dammit!_ Hiro cursed in his mind. _Why did this happen! What's going on with you, Sakura?_

**End Flashback**

"…" Hiro didn't understand. He didn't THINK he did anything wrong. So, why was this happening? Tenshi burst in, seemingly unfazed by what was happening in the room at the moment, and walked over to one of Sakura's bags. She began to rummage through it, looking for something.

_Jeez Sakura! _Tenshi griped in her head. _Why do you carry around so much junk? _Her mahogany brown eyes lit up as her hand closed around something small and cylinder-like, and she reached into another pocket of the bag and pulled out a water bottle. She slowly made her way beside Hiro, and stared down at Sakura's sweating form.

"How is she?" She asked.

"Not good." Hiro replied, a little perplexed that Tenshi was acting so calmly. "She's breathing really heavily, like she's struggling for air."

"Well, at least she's breathing." Tenshi said.

The star-obsessed teen pulled out a handkerchief she had in her back pocket and wiped some of the sweat of Sakura's brow. The 16-year-old stirred, gritting her teeth in pain. Without opening her eyes, she whispered, "T-Tenshi…chan…?"

"Yes, I'm here, Sakura. How are you feeling?" Tenshi asked, trying her best to remain calm. Sakura shuddered and opened her eyes half way.

"Not…not good." She answered, sounding worn out. She seemed a bit surprised to not only find Tenshi at her side, but Hiro, Hitori, Hiniku, Kai, and everyone else as well. "…Minna-san…" Sakura breathed, blinking in surprise.

"You gave us such a scare, Saku-chan!" Hitori claimed, a gentle smile on her face.

"We'd be in big trouble if we lost our Pretear." Gaki stated, the other Leafe Knights nodding in agreement. Sakura smiled a bit.

"Gomen…" She started to apologize, when her mouth started getting moist. Really moist. "Oh no…" Sakura muttered, clamping her hand over her mouth in an attempt to hold it in. Tenshi knew that this would eventually happen, so she ran and got the trashcan sitting in the corner of Sakura's room. Making her way back over to the bed, she helped the African-American teen sit up and put the trashcan in front of her. A few seconds later, Sakura became re-acquainted with the lunch she had with everyone earlier.

"Sakura, I have your medicine here, if you want it." Tenshi said, once Sakura was done throwing up. Too weak to open her mouth, Sakura only nodded. This time, Hiro helped Sakura sit up, as Tenshi fed her the medicine. Once Sakura's body was acting normal once again, Tenshi ordered everyone out so the Cherry Blossom princess could rest. As Hiro turned to go, he felt a tug on his jeans, and turned back to find Sakura's fingers clinging to his pants leg. Her eyes were shut, and she was still sweating because her medicine hadn't fully kicked in yet.

"Iku…na…" She whispered, a pleading note in her voice.

Tenshi, who was watching, piped up, "Could you stay with her, Hiro-kun? We need someone to watch her, and everyone else wants me to explain to them what's going on with Saku-chan. I'd ask Kenji to stay with her, but we couldn't find him, so…" Hiro looked at Tenshi, then Sakura. She looked so helpless, and Tenshi looked so worried. How could he refuse?

"Sure." The Knight of Wind agreed, receiving a smile from Tenshi.

"Thanks a lot. Get some sleep, Saku." Sakura, hearing that Hiro would stay with her, nodded and let go of him. Hiro pulled up a chair and sat down by Sakura's bedside, gazing at her with his auburn eyes. She seemed to be sleeping already, because that one strand of hair that was always hanging in her face was floating up when she exhaled, and was pulled towards her mouth when she inhaled. Hiro smiled to himself and brushed back the rebellious strand out of her face. _Sweet dreams, Sakura._

* * *

Kenji found himself, once again, wandering in unknown territory. Saitoshi had said Sakura went into town for a bit. So, why did the town have to be so flippin' huge! _WHY do they have such a big town on an island? IT MAKES NO SENSE! _Kenji's head ranted, his frustration at not being able to find his beloved Sakura getting the best of him. He had been past the beach, the arcade, and a radio building at least 5 times, and there was STILL no sign of her! _Mou…Sakura-chan's been distant with me lately…could it be that she doesn't want me around anymore…?_ Kenji sighed sadly. His head was scolding him not to think such things, but his heart stung with the possibility that it could very well be true. His depression suddenly turned to rage, as he thought of someone to blame it on.

_It's all HIS fault! _The black-haired teen's thoughts hissed, an image of a certain auburn hair and eyed 18-year-old coming to mind. _He's been distracting Sakura! Whatever was going on in that hallway when I arrived CERTAINLY wasn't "nothing"! And now she's gone missing as well? GASP! No… _A horrifying thought struck Kenji, and he stood there, rooted to the spot, his eyes blank and haunted. _Could it be…that Awayuki-kun…is trying to SEDUCE Sakura-chan?? _With this thought in mind, a dark feeling clenched Kenji's heart and held fast, so many murderous thoughts coming to his mind. Quickly, Kenji shook his head to clear it, and the feeling disappeared.

Lately, it seemed that whenever Kenji thought of Sakura even looking at another guy, this feeling would overtake his mood and actions. Unable to just dismiss it as "jealousy", the jade green-eyed 17-year-old had learned to almost get used to it by now. Almost. _It's no big deal… _Kenji told himself over and over. _I'm fine. I just need to clear my head, and then it's gone. _Satisfied with this new mantra, Kenji continued his search for Sakura, ignoring his gut feeling that something was definitely wrong with him. _It could be just due to my lack of sleep. _The 17-year old thought to him self. He always had trouble sleeping, no matter where or when. It was almost as if there was another soul inside of him. While Kenji was asleep, his other self awoke and roamed the night. Kenji would, as always, be exhausted the next day, with no clue of what happened the night before.

_Hmph. For someone who wants to become a doctor, I haven't had much luck at diagnosing my own illness. Insomnia doesn't cut it. What about my memory loss? _Kenji didn't have time to ponder this thought again. He had reached the park, where he saw a distinctly familiar face.

"There there, it's going to be alright, Shinta-chan. Don't cry." An ashy-haired teen pleaded with a golden brown-haired tot in his lap, but it seemed too late to be asking, for the child's emerald eyes were already filled to the brink with tears. The older boy sighed, closing his violet eyes tiredly.

"Oi! Musika-kun!" A voice shouted, and Saitoshi turned around to find Kenji dashing up to him. His eyes widened in surprise.

_Uh-oh…Apparently, he doesn't know of Sakura's current condition, otherwise, he wouldn't be here…_Putting on a grin, Saitoshi felt it'd be best if Kenji didn't know.

"Hey! So we meet again." Saitoshi replied, an amused smile on his lips. Kenji returned the smile and glanced down curiously at Shinta.

"What's he so worked up about?" The jet black-haired teen questioned, nodding towards a sniffling Shinta. The tyke had settled down to some level, and before Saitoshi could respond, the tearful Knight of Plants blurted out, "Sakura-chan is-"

"Ah!" Saitoshi gasped, covering Shinta's mouth and laughing nervously, while Kenji stood there, clueless. While his hand was over the tyke's mouth, Saitoshi quickly drained the Sound Leafe from him so Shinta couldn't make any noise what so ever. So, unless Kenji was an expert lip-reader, the secret of Sakura's plight was safe. For now. "Shinta's just upset because, uh…Sakura had to leave, so she stopped playing with him! Yeah, that's it!" Saitoshi covered, even though Shinta badly wanted to say otherwise. Kenji tilted his head. Something didn't add up.

"I see. Tell me, where did she go?"

"Er…" _Time to be clever. _Saitoshi thought. "I…think I heard her say something about meeting Tenshi…uh…at the beach! She could be there!" The Knight of Sound lied. _Perfect! _Saitoshi thought in his head. _While Kenji goes to look for Sakura there, I'll escape with Shinta! Then I won't be forced to make up another lie when he comes back looking for answers! It's a flawless plan! _But before Saitoshi could congratulate himself on a job well done, Kenji shook his head.

"Impossible. I must have passed that beach at least 5 times looking for Sakura, and there was no trace of her. If she had left just now, I would have seen her."

"O-oh…Is that so…?" Saitoshi said, his nervousness showing through quite plainly. _Great job, Saitoshi. NOW what?? _His mind worked furiously to produce another excuse, when Kenji started to walk away.

"It's alright. Sakura probably just went back to the mansion. I'll go look for her there." He said.

Saitoshi jumped up, one arm held securely over Shinta, who was still soundless, and quickly placed himself in Kenji's path. "No way! Bad idea!" Kenji raised a questioning eyebrow, starting to get irritated with the bothersome 17-year-old in front of him.

"Why not?" He wanted to know. Saitoshi started to sweat.

"Um…because… no one's at the mansion!" He quickly told Kenji. _A little white lie or two never hurt anyone…_ Saitoshi thought, trying to ease his guilt. Both Kenji's eyebrows rose this time.

"Why is that? And how do you know this?" The jade green-eyed teen queried further, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

_Or three or four… _Saitoshi sighed inwardly. "Well, that's why Sakura left! She got a call from Hitori-chan…you know her, right? Hiro-kun's twin?" When Kenji nodded, the clever Knight of Sound continued.

"Yeah, well, her parents are going to be out of the mansion for the night, so Hitori has the keys to the mansion. So, she called to tell Sakura that they wouldn't be home and they're all going out for dinner, and she invited Sakura to come along. So, Sakura-chan told me all of this before she left, and that's how I know!" Saitoshi claimed.

"Wait, didn't you say Sakura and Tenshi were going to the beach?" Kenji asked, still confused. Saitoshi froze, then quickly said, "Well, she originally planned to meet Tenshi at the beach, but I guess Tenshi already knew of the change of plans! You should check some of the restaurants!" Saitoshi suggested, pushing Kenji toward the main district, where restaurants galore were waiting for paying customers.

Kenji looked back at the ashy gray-haired teen, an exasperated look in his eyes. "What? But there are tons of restaurants on this island. It'll take AGES to find her!" He complained.

"Wow, then you better start looking now!" Saitoshi sent Kenji on his way with a final shove, and ran like hell in the opposite direction with Shinta in his arms so Kenji couldn't pester him for more answers. _Whew! Finally got rid of 'em! _Saitoshi heaved a big sigh of relief, his calm returning to him. _Forgive me, Kami. I know I've told a lot of lies today, but I promise, I'll find some way to make it up…_Saitoshi's attention was brought back to Earth when he felt a slight tug on his sleeve. He looked down to find Shinta staring up at him, his eyes pleading for his voice back. Saitoshi grinned apologetically and placed his hand once more over Shinta's mouth, restoring his Sound Leafe.

_Starting now…_

* * *

Hitori, Hiniku, Kai, and the new Leafe Knights (with the exception of Hiro, Saitoshi, and Shinta) were all gathered in the living room. Tenshi had promised she would explain Sakura's illness, so there they were, patiently awaiting some explanation. Finally, Tenshi descended the steps, assured that Sakura was now stable. As soon as she entered the room, Hitori burst out, "WELL?? What's the deal with Sakura!" Everyone shushed her, then turned intently back to Tenshi, who sighed.

"It's a good thing you're all sitting down, because what I say may shock you." She spoke sullenly, and even Hitori knew now not to interrupt.

"What you all saw upstairs was what Sakura and I, her parents, and the doctors call, "Stress Syndrome." It only happens when Sakura is under extreme pressure, more than usual. Now, I know what you're all thinking, NO, Sakura-chan does NOT have high-blood pressure. That's what the doctor thought too, because her…**our** dad has high-blood pressure. But there are weird side effects that she has that normally don't occur if you just have high-blood pressure. And they're different every time after she passes out. Sometimes, she'll wake, totally fine. Other times, she could be weak, but still be alright. And there are those times, like today, where she starts to sweat uncontrollably, and she struggles to breathe, and vomits up whatever she ate earlier."

"There are also some symptoms where she cries out in her unconscious state and starts twitching uncontrollably, and we even had a case once or twice…where her heart stopped." A shiver went through the group as numerous pairs of eyes widened. "Now, this was strictly family business, but I feel the need to tell you, since Sakura plays a big role in each of your lives." Tenshi continued, talking more to the Leafe Knights than anyone else. "The doctors fear that if we're not careful, this illness…may be the cause of Sakura's death." Hitori gasped and covered her mouth, not daring to believe it.

"Kami! I knew Sakura had some sort of illness, but you never told me it was THIS bad!" Hiniku cried, not wanting to hear anymore talk about death.

"Sorry, Hiniku-chan, but…we didn't want to worry anyone. But please, I implore you…" Tenshi begged, turning back to the new Leafe Knights, who were still awestruck at what the star-obsessed teen had told them so far. "Please don't be hard on Sakura-chan. I know I can't fight destiny, and I know you need her as the Pretear, but please, be gentle with her."

"You got it." Gaki spoke, a determined fire in his eyes. "We, as the Leafe Knights, vowed to protect the Pretear, and so we shall."

"Right!" The other Knights agreed. Tenshi smiled gratefully at the group, and seeing this made Kato and Moki's hearts flutter. (XD)

_Maybe there is still hope…_

* * *

Hiro sat by Sakura's bedside, ever watchful, not even allowing him self to fall asleep. _I have to keep watch over her…_Hiro thought determinedly, sounding very much like a protective guardian angel. (**As if. XD**)_I don't want to let her…or anyone else down…not ever again. _An image of the girl Hiro had glimpsed in the escaped Demon Larvae's core shield ran through his mind, and his eyes saddened. _I'm sorry…Keiko…For what it's worth, I'm sorry._ The auburn haired and eyed teen apologized over and over in his head, like he had done so many times before. He closed his eyes and visualized Keiko. She used to be so bubbly, caring, and smart. Her short and stylized black hair framed her delicate peach-shaded cheeks, and her baby-blue eyes that sparkled with life made her the most sought-after girl in Hiro's high school. He considered himself the luckiest man alive to have her.

_And then I just HAD to screw it up…_Hiro cringed in remembrance of that day. Back then, his heart was warm and open, a great contrast to the tightly shut chunk of ice residing in his chest today. This factor, combined with his handsome features, also made Hiro very popular among the ladies. That day, he was standing in the middle of a deserted hall with a beet red girl, who had just confessed that she loved him. As flattered as he was, Hiro politely turned her down, saying that he already had a girlfriend, and he was supposed to meet up with her in a little while. But the girl was determined. She took Hiro by the arms and firmly pushed him against a wall, surprising him. While he was off-guard, the bold girl stood on her tiptoes and kissed him!

Keiko, who was starting to wonder where Hiro was and why he was late, wandered down to where Hiro's class should have let out for lunch by now, only to be met by a heart breaking site. Her soul-shattering gasp was what snapped Hiro out of his shocked reverie, and he and his harasser looked around to find Keiko standing there, crystal tears welling up in her hurt baby blue eyes. "Keiko!" Hiro called, roughly pushing the girl that stole a kiss from him aside, and chasing after his fleeing girlfriend. He tailed her all the way to the school parking lot before she turned and slapped Hiro across his face.

"…If you weren't satisfied with me, you should've broken up with me…" She said in a deadly quiet voice. Hiro stared at his furious girlfriend, clutching his now very sore cheek. "I would rather have you break up with me…then to do something so horrible and low…as to CHEAT on me…"

"But Keiko, I swear, it wasn't what it looked like!" Hiro tried to explain.

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" Keiko screeched, and the sky suddenly darkened, the wind rushing through the trees violently. If Hiro wasn't so afraid of losing Keiko at that moment, he might've realized that something otherworldly was taking place in this scene. Keiko glared sharply at him, her once sparkling baby blue eyes dull and lifeless. "Everyone said…that you wouldn't treat me the way I deserved to be treated…in the end… now, I see what they mean…"

"Keiko, that's not true! The girls who say those things are all jealous!" Hiro exclaimed, trying in vain to get through to her.

"Well guess what?" Keiko continued as if Hiro hadn't uttered a word. "I…I've been seeing someone too!" She confessed, and Hiro's eyes widened in shock.

"I…I wanted to tell you, because I felt bad…it was just so great…being alone in the dark with that person…but now I find out that you're doing the same thing behind MY back, so I think we both deserve this pain…don't you…?"

"Keiko…" Hiro whispered, at loss for words. A big gust of wind hurtled past Keiko and at Hiro, causing the loose rubber band that was holding Hiro's extremely long hair in place to fly off. He shielded his face with his forearms, his hair going everywhere and making it difficult for him to see. A pair of giant purple butterfly wings sprouted from Keiko's back, and began to envelope her. "KEIKO!" Hiro shouted. Those butterfly wings were the sign of only one person…but…no…Keiko didn't have magic. If she did, Hiro would have sensed it by now. There was only one explanation…

"Goodbye…Hiro…" Keiko whispered, an endless stream of tears sliding down her face. "I NEVER want to see you again…" And with that, the butterfly wings consumed Keiko completely, and she disappeared in a flash of purple sparks. Hiro fell to his knees, his auburn eyes never leaving the spot where Keiko was standing. He would NEVER be able to get that heart-broken look on her face out of his mind. His long hair fluttered slightly in the breeze that was trying to comfort him, but he paid it no heed. _Keiko…I never knew…you were being tempted by darkness…THAT'S how she got a hold of you so easily…_Hiro turned his auburn eyes towards the sky. So many emotions ran through him, but the main one was confusion.

_Keiko…how could I not realize that The Princess of Disaster had consumed your heart…?_

Hiro opened his eyes. He wasn't in his land of memories anymore. He was back in Sakura's room, and she was still sleeping peacefully. Hiro sighed. He hated remembering that day. To try and forget, he even cut his hair that night. The auburn-haired and eyed 18-year-old grasped a strand of his hair in between his index finger and thumb, and examined it. _Hm…my hair's starting to grow longer again…_ He sighed again. _How long has it been…since my last hair cut…?_ (**A/N: Explanation! Hiro counts how many years it's been since his girlfriend disappeared by cutting his hair on the anniversary of her disappearance. So, he counts the years in haircuts! Just wanted to clear that up. XD**)

A grunt from Sakura's direction awoke the new Knight of Wind out of his thoughts, and he turned his attention to the bed. The Cherry Blossom princess was finally stirring, and her mood ring changed from a dark blue to a lighter blue, noting her alert mood. (**The mood ring returns! XD**) Her eyelids opened halfway, and her sleepy chocolate brown eyes were seen. Everything was blurry, and when she turned to her left, all she saw was a pale face with long auburn hair. "So, it lives." The face said with an amused tone in its voice. Sakura squinted.

"Uh…Hitori-chan…?" She asked. Her view finally un-fogged, and she found NOT Hitori, but Hiro, and by the look on his face, it seemed that he didn't appreciate being confused with his sister.

"Do I look THAT MUCH like Hitori?" He prosecuted, very agitated. Sakura chuckled and sweatdropped.

"Well, you guys ARE twins."

"We're FETERNAL."

"I KNOW that, but you STILL look a lot alike."

"Ugh…don't remind me."

Sakura giggled, sat up and stretched. "My vision was blurred when I first woke up. All I saw was long brown hair, and I assumed it was Hitori-chan! Sorry…" She apologized, rubbing the back of her head. Hiro stared off into space for a moment.

"…You know…my hair was longer than this…once." He told Sakura. She raised her eyebrows in interest.

"Really, how long?" Hiro thought for a moment.

"Well, the ends could reach my ankles…that's how my dad's hair was when he was younger."

"NO WAY!" Sakura shouted rather loudly in disbelief. Hiro winced at her "Loudness Level" but nodded.

"Yeah, it's true."

"So, why'd you cut it?" Sakura queried, then a malicious smile spread across her face. "Too many people were mistaking you for a girl?" Hiro sweatdropped.

_I KNEW she'd say something like that…_He sighed in his head, refraining from yelling at her. He didn't want to cause her too much stress.

"No…I cut it because…I wanted to forget…"

"Forget?" Sakura asked, her expression demanding more answers, but Hiro shook his head, signaling her to drop it.

_Hm…he's never open with me…He's never close with anyone, I suppose…_ Sakura thought, and this fact made her sad for some reason. _I just wanna know what he's thinking. What goes on in that head of his…?_

"…Sakura…"

"Hm?" Sakura replied, her attention focused on Hiro. His eyes were covered by his bangs, so even if she could read the mysterious emotions swirling through his eyes, she wouldn't be able to.

"Was it…something I did…?"

"Eh? What are you blathering on about?" Sakura asked in curiosity, not understanding what he was getting at. Hiro turned to look at her, and her chocolate brown orbs widened.

Instead of his usual mysterious eyes, there was something different: Pain. He looked so, hurt, so lost. The look was so awful that it scared Sakura. _"Do I know you…?"_ She wanted to ask. "H-Hiro…what…? What's with that look? You're scaring me…" Sakura whispered, a worried look on her face. Hiro stared at his hands, which were folded in his lap. He couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"Sakura…what happened in the park…was it my fault? Did I do something to upset you?" He asked, his guilt evident in his voice. Sakura stared at him, unsure of what to say. An image of him smiling from earlier popped into her head, and her heart began beat like crazy once more.

_Why is this happening to me…? How can one simple smile from Hiro do all these things to me…? _Sakura wondered in her head once again. The African-American 16-year-old violently shook her head, and her hair whipped at her face. "I…I'm not sure if I should tell you what's going on with me, Hiro…I'm not really sure myself." The new Pretear admitted, both to Hiro and herself. "But…it wasn't your fault. I've just been…thinking too much lately." She said, thinking of Kenji and his haunting proposal. Hiro observed her, wondering if that was really the case. She noticed him staring and smiled softly. "And…thank you, for worrying about me. It made me happy to see that you cared." She thanked, her smile sparkling.

Hiro blushed and turned away. _Is this REALLY the same girl I love to hate…? She seems so different now…like, she's matured…_ "Ano…Sakura-chan…" Hiro called, and Sakura's face colored slightly.

_Sakura…-chan?? Where did THAT come from?_ The slightly freaked out Cherry Blossom Princess wanted to know. "Uh…yes?" She finally answered. Hiro turned back to her and smiled slightly.

"About your idea of us being friends…I think…it could work." Sakura sat there, frozen for a second, when her eyes widened in excitement and a radiant smile graced her lips.

"Honto ne?? That's great! That's REALLY great!" She cried excitedly, hugging Hiro out of sheer glee. This surprised the new Knight of Wind.

_W-what? No one wants to nor dares to hug me except for Mom and Hitori! So why…? Ah, but she's so warm…_Hiro shook his head, cursing himself. _Baka, what are you thinking! She's only a friend now! Only a friend… _With this thought, Hiro took Sakura by her shoulders and pushed her back so that she wasn't able to hug him, but she was still sitting close enough. Sakura stared up at him, confused, and he playfully rapped her on the head. "Idiot, do you always go around hugging people at random?" He scolded with an awkward smile. She laughed and smiled back.

"Eh heh. Sorry. I guess I got carried away…" She started to apologize, when the familiar, yet unpleasant icy feeling overtook her body.

She stood up abruptly, causing Hiro to fall backwards out of his chair. "Mou! Sakura, what was that-!" Hiro started to rant, angry because his head hit the floor.

"Demon Larvae…" Sakura whispered, her pupils growing smaller with fear by the second.

"…What?" Hiro asked, jumping back on his feet. He wanted to make sure he had heard correctly, and if he had heard correctly, Sakura had just said…

"Demon Larvae." Sakura repeated, louder this time. The two teens looked at each other, then made a mad dash for the door. "We won't screw up this time!" Sakura declared, and Hiro nodded.

_I really hope she's up to this…I can't take any more loss…_

* * *

"Hitori, when are your parents gonna be home again?"

"Er…I dunno…why?"

"Because I'm BORED!" Tenshi exclaimed. They all were lounging in the living room, EXTREMELY bored.

"Bored at a mansion? How can that be?" you might ask. Well, here's why:

One, There was nothing good on T.V. to watch.

Two, Everything of remote interest was outside.

And Three: No one wanted to leave in case anything should happen to Sakura again. (**Aw, I'm so loved! XD**) So, there they were, sitting around, talking about random geek stuff, like anime and manga, (**XD**) when Saitoshi burst in with Shinta. He put Shinta down and collapsed onto the floor, exhausted.

"Sai-kun!" Hiniku cried, rushing over to her fallen boyfriend.

"Huff huff…how is…Sakura-chan…?" Saitoshi asked.

"WHAT?? I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN HOURS AND ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS SAKURA??" Hiniku screeched, ringing her boyfriend's neck.

"Well, Sakura IS sick, Hiniku-san…" Himura pointed out, trying to keep the peace. Once Hiniku had simmered down, Saitoshi explained to the whole group what he saw in the park, and his run-in with Kenji.

"Mou…you really shouldn't have lied to Kenji-kun like that, Saitoshi-kun…" Tenshi sighed.

"Jeez, this story is getting more and more complicated by the second." Hiniku complained, and the group sweatdropped.

"Well, I thought it was best for him not to know…because…" Saitoshi's face twisted into a thoughtful frown. _Because…something's not right with Kenji…and now that I think about it, I feel as if I know him from somewhere…_

Suddenly, there were hurrying footsteps down the staircase, and everyone turned to find a panting Sakura rushing down the stairs, with Hiro hot on her heels. "Sakura! You're alright!" Hitori cried happily, rushing up to glomp Sakura, but the African-American female jumped out of the way, and Hitori ended up glomping her irritated twin instead.

"Whoa! Where's the fire, Saku-chan?" Tenshi asked, as her friend/sister came to a screeching halt in front of her.

"Guys, we have to go! Now!" Sakura commanded, once she caught her breath.

"Do shimashita ka, Sakura-chan?" Saitoshi asked, worry evident in his violet eyes. Sakura turned to the Leafe Knights, a determined look on her face.

"I sense a Demon Larvae. And THIS time, it's NOT getting away!"

* * *

**A/N: AH! TOO MUCH GOING ON! (Is suffering from work overload) I WAS gonna put the fight in this chapter, but I have other things to do before I get grounded, and I feel you guys have waited for this chapter long enough! Yeah, so, I liked how this chapter turned out, even though I struggled through a few awkward moments in the story. I like what Hiniku says towards the end though, with Saitoshi and commenting on the story's complications. XD THERE'S your humor, Hiniku! XP Saitoshi has become a liar though…ToT Oh well. Please continue to read! Next chapter will probably be really long too. (This one's TOO long…) Look forward to it!**

**-MuraSakura**

**Translations**

**Iku Na-Don't go**

**Mou-A way of saying "Jeez"**

**A/N2: Well, whaddaya know? Another edited chapter! XD Hopefully the last one; I dunno, I'll have to check. XD**


	8. Chapter 8:The Story of the Leafe Knights

**Pretear: Legend Of The Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N: Ah, the story's getting thick with complications, ne? Well, I'll do as a friend suggested and make Chapter 9 a comic relief chapter. That sounds good, right? It should, 'cuz I can't take much more of this either. (Is ready to pass out from all the drama) x.x Anyways, here's Chapter 8!**

**Invisible Love: Jeez, I can never keep you happy, can I? Yes, you SHOULD be happy I updated! You should ALSO be happy that your character is IN my story! Gosh, you're so ungrateful! (Goes to sulk in her corner) I feel so unloved… XD You have a memory problem, don't you? I portrayed your character to be a little forgetful, but I didn't know you were THIS bad! LOL. Anyways, once you get your computer fixed…TYPE, WOMAN, TYPE! XD**

**Dreamgirllogan: I always love getting your reviews. You always comment on something I put in the story, so I can tell you're really reading it and paying attention to detail. So, as a thank you, I wrote a REALLY long chapter, and I updated it sooner than usual! Thank you so much for your constant support! **

**Twin Psychos: Oh my Kami, your endless praise has given me a swelled head! Now I can't fit through the doorways in my house! I hope you're happy… LOL. XD Thank you as well for your constant support, and I'm glad they finally have a spell check for when people review. LOL. Here's the next installment of your reading entertainment! XD**

**OMG! You guys make me feel so special! I always thought my writing was some-what good, but everyone's always telling me otherwise! HA-PPY! It would help if I had a wider vocabulary though; I hate having to use the same words over and over again. XO Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to ALL of the people who have reviewed my story and are absolutely crazy about it. My regards especially, to Tenshi Hikari, who supplies me with hilarious ideas for the story, feedback, and is my unofficial beta reader. Don't know what I would do with out you, Tensh! (Glomps Tenshi and gives her a truckload of Sasuke stuff) Alright! ON WITH THE CHAPPIE! **

Chapter 8: The Story of the Original Leafe Knights 

"…Keiko…"

The black-haired teen jumped, and turned slowly towards the one who beckoned for her.

"Uh, y-yes, Master…?" A tall figure stood in the shadows behind her, observing the outside world along with her.

"How are they fairing against the Demon Larvae…?" The figure asked. Keiko gave the figure a triumphant smirk.

"The New Pretear is really a failure. The first one we sent still roams free, growing more powerful with all the Leafe it's been stealing. As soon as it finished off its meal on the ocean surrounding Awayuki Island, we'll have enough Leafe to-"

"Has she sensed it again?" Keiko's face fell slightly.

"Well, yes, but by now the Demon Larvae is bound to be too powerful for her to handle now…"

"Don't let your cockiness get the best of you, Keiko." The figure scolded harshly, then disappeared. Keiko scowled and turned back to her mirror that allowed her to see the outside world.

" 'Don't let my cockiness get the best of me!' I'm NOT being cocky! I'm stating the truth! There's NO WAY that stupid little girl will be able to defeat my precious Demon Larvae…" Keiko reassured herself, purple butterflies flitting this way and that around her body. The mirror showed her an image of a running African-American teen; a determined look on her face, with another teen with auburn hair and eyes running by her side, and a whole group of people following close behind. Keiko's scowl deepened.

_Hiro, this girl that is your new Pretear is neither pretty nor well mannered. You don't get along with her at all. So why…WHY do you insist on staying with her…?_

…

"Which way, Sakura?" Hiro questioned, coming to a halt in a fork in the road.

"Uh…" Sakura stuttered, biting her lower lip. _What if I screw up again…?_ Her thoughts wondered, filling the new Pretear with even more uncertainty. The darkness seemed to be coming from every direction, and people on the street were dropping like flies. A very unsure Sakura gripped the flower charm on her choker, her chocolate brown eyes shut tight. _What should I do?_ A warm hand gripped her chin, and Sakura's eyes shot open, the hand guiding her chin upwards to stare into the auburn eyes of Hiro. His eyes held such comforting warmth, and Sakura could feel herself going red.

"Don't panic. Just focus on where the dark energy is strongest. You can do this." Hiro reassured her, willing her not to lose her head over this. Sakura's eyes glistened, sending a silent thank-you to Hiro for understanding.

"Okay." She nodded, and Hiro let go of her chin. This sort of disappointed Sakura, though she had no idea why. The African-American 16-year-old took a deep breath, and slowly let it out, focusing with all her being on where the dark energy was coming from. The frigid feeling that affected her so was somewhere to her right… Sakura's eyes snapped open, and she whipped her head northeast. "The Demon Larvae's at the beach!" She called behind her shoulder, dashing in the general direction of the beach. The rest quickly followed suit. Tenshi was also lost in thought as she ran behind the others.

_Bewii? Hiro managed to calm Sakura's nerves…when did HE become her source of comfort?_ Tenshi felt a sly grin grace her lips, as a devious plot began to form in her so-called "angelic" head. _Wait 'till I get back and tell Hiniku about this!_

(**A/N: Because Kai and Hiniku are clueless to the whole "Pretear" situation, they were asked to stay at the mansion. Neither seemed happy about the idea, but Kai couldn't resist Tenshi's puppy dog eyes, so he agreed to stay and keep watch over Hiniku and the house. If Hiro and Hitori's parents come back before Sakura and the gang, they were to explain that they were out on "Leafe Business", even if they weren't entirely sure what that meant. Himeno and Hayate would get it. So that's the brief (cough) explanation I have to offer! XD**)

…

"…That's odd. Why's the house so quiet?" Himeno questioned Hayate, walking through the front door and not hearing a sound. Hayate shrugged, glad for the pleasant change in sound.

"Who knows? Maybe they all went out for the night." A devious grin spread itself across his face, as he took his beloved wife into his arms. Himeno's face lit up, giving her the appearance of a ripe tomato. "We have the house to ourselves…" He whispered seductively, his lips brushing ever-so-slightly against Himeno's ear, making her blush even more. Hayate cupped Himeno's cheeks and brought her face to his in an achingly slow manner. Just as he was about to reach his destination, a loud crash of what sounded like pots and pans sounded near the kitchen, making Himeno and Hayate jump out of their skins.

"What the hell was THAT!" Himeno yelped in surprise, sprinting towards where the noise came from, with a disgruntled Hayate following behind.

_I was SO close…_

The couple heard voices as they approached the kitchen. One sounded masculine and annoyed, while the other sounded feminine and defensive.

"WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

"How DARE you! This is the LAST time I try to be nice and make you lunch!"

"Cooking a STARBURST is NOT MAKING LUNCH! You could've blown the whole kitchen up!"

"But I didn't! Besides, if YOU don't want it, more for me!"

"Oh, I give up!"

Himeno cautiously stepped foot inside the kitchen with Hayate right behind her, ready to pull Himeno out at the first sign of danger. They found a certain spiky blue-haired teen with his short hot-tempered Asian of a stepsister, the short Asian with a freakishly huge frying pan that looked oddly familiar.

"Y'know, when Sakura comes back and catches you cooking with her precious lethal weapon, what do you think she'll do?" Kai questioned a bubbly Hiniku, who was happily flipping some pancakes to eat, even though it was evening.

"Aw, Sakura won't care. After all, we are friends. She can't kill me, so what's the worst that could happen?"

"She'll get ticked and use you as target practice."

"Oh…that too…"

"Well, from the way you two were arguing earlier, I could've sworn that Sakura and Hiro were the ones fighting in here." Himeno commented, giggling. The two step-siblings looked over in surprise, startled by the Mistress of the house's sudden appearance.

"Oh, you're back." Hiniku observed, pausing in her attempt to make proper pancakes. Hayate looked around the kitchen, as if expecting everyone else to pop out of the cabinets and yell "Surprise!"

"Hey, where's the rest of the gang?" He queried. Hiniku blinked and tilted her head towards the ceiling, the way she always did when she was lost in thought.

"Now, WHAT was the kind of business they were out on accomplishing…? Lufe… Liffe…"

"Wasn't it 'Leafe'?" Kai corrected, jogging his forgetful step-sister's memory.

"Oh yeah! That was it!" Hiniku confirmed, finally remembering. Hayate and Himeno's eyes widened, and they turned to each other simultaneously.

"Do you sense it?" Hayate asked of Himeno, both of them forgetting the fact that there were two people totally unaware that they were supernatural beings with them in the kitchen. Himeno frowned.

"Yes, but just barely. Ugh, my powers are waning along with my youth…" The reddish-brown haired Pretear complained, making Hayate smirk in amusement. Kai and Hiniku looked at each other, the same thought running through both of their minds.

_'Powers'!_

"Well, we'd better get going just in case Sakura and the Leafe Knights need a hand, huh?" Hayate said, making his way back to the door through which they had entered.

_'Leafe Knights'! What's going on here! Is this part of the prize Sakura received for winning that book contest? _Hiniku's thoughts ranted, the conversation held between the couple confusing her to no end.

"Yes, I suppose we should." Himeno replied to Hayate's statement. But before they could reach the door, Kai placed himself in their path, a determined look in his eyes.

"Wait a minute. Something's very fishy here. I think Hiniku and I deserve the right to know what's going on with Sakura and these 'Leafe Knights' of which you speak." The laid-back Russian demanded, his arms crossed as always. Hayate frowned, not liking the insolence being shown to him by this teen.

"Listen you! Get out of the way! We have important business to attend!" He growled.

"I will, as soon as you answer my questions." Kai shot back, unfazed by Hayate's attitude. The original Knight of Wind grit his teeth in frustration, but a calming hand belonging to Himeno rested on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Hayate. He has a point. He and his sister deserve to know what's going on." She said, reasoning with her difficult husband.

"…I suppose…" Hayate muttered in agreement, and he and Himeno prepared themselves for a long, but-hopefully-brief-enough-to-get-them-out-of-there-and-help-the-others-in-time discussion.

…

The once pleasant beach that was overflowing with people just a few hours before was now deserted, cold, and lifeless. All of that handiwork was thanks to the Demon Larvae, which was now sucking the sea dry of its Leafe. Sakura and the others arrived on the scene, and the temperamental teen nearly fell down at the sight of it.

"Uh…guys…? Is it ME…or did that thing get BIGGER!" She prosecuted, not being able to remember the Demon Larvae being so massive.

"It DEFINITELY got bigger…" Tenshi reassured, her eyes tripling in size at the sight of it.

"It got UGLIER too!" Hitori commented, not being able to stand to look at it for another second.

The Demon Larvae evidently heard this comment, and used one of its huge tentacles to swipe at the group. Luckily, everyone was able to jump out of the way in time.

"Alright, this Demon Larvae has been alive for too long! Sakura! Prete with me!" Saitoshi said, holding out his right hand. Sakura nodded and placed her right hand in his. Multi-colored Leafe surrounded them, as Saitoshi disappeared in a flash of purple and merged together with Sakura. The African-American teen felt a rush of sound enter her ears, as she was placed back onto the ground.

"Oh! Her outfit's different again!" Hitori exclaimed, who had seen what the original Sound Pretear's outfit looked like. Once again, what wasn't purple on the outfit was gold instead of white, and Sakura's now purple and gold flower choker matched perfectly with her outfit. The puffiness at the bottom of the Sound Pretear's outfit was still there, but there were purple shorts under it that reached Sakura's knees as well. There was a gold music note marking by Sakura's right eye, and a purple music note by her left. She opened her eyes, examined herself, and gave a thumbs up to the others.

**_"Are you ready?" _**Saitoshi's voice flowed into Sakura's mind, and she nearly jumped in surprise.

"Ah!" She yelped.

**_"Sakura?" _**Saitoshi's voice sounded worried. **_"Are you alright?"_**

"Oh…I'm fine." Sakura replied, blushing at her stupidity. "I was just startled is all. I guess I'm not used to hearing voices in my head that I don't recognize, heh heh…" Saitoshi laughed.

"_**Well, let's give it our all, ne Sakura-chan?"**_

"Hai!"

The others proceeded with flying into the air and distracting the Demon Larvae, while Hitori and Tenshi hid a safe distance away, giving Sakura moral support. The Cherry Blossom Princess went to the place where she saw the core last time, and frowned with concern.

"Uh…Saitoshi…? We have a problem…"

**_"Naniyo?"_**

****"The core…it's gone! I can't see it!"

**_"Eh? This IS a problem…"_**

****"What should I do? What should WE do?"

**_"Whoa, calm down, Sakura. This is not the time to panic. Instead of trying to SEE it, why don't you try sensing it with Sound?"_**

****"…Sound?"

**_"Yes."_**

****"You mean…like this?" Sakura cupped her left ear and focused. The device near her ear started glowing, and when Sakura opened her eyes again, she was floating over the ocean. "WOW!" She exclaimed, the peaceful rocking of the tides making her heart soar. "It's so beautiful…I can see the deep ocean…" She whispered to herself. Saitoshi chuckled.

**_"You're not actually seeing it. Your mind is projecting images to you through sound."_**

****"Through…sound?"

**_"Hai. Now, let's see if we can sense the core in the Demon Larvae through sound as well."_**

****"Okay!"

Sakura twisted her face in concentration, focusing with all her being. Numerous parts of the Demon Larvae flashed into her mind, until its newly developed mouth caught her attention.

"The core's inside its mouth!" Sakura yelled in sudden realization, then made a sick face. "Ew, gross!"

**_"C'mon Sakura! We have to destroy it now! The Leafe is quickly being drained from the sea!"_**

****The African-American teen turned her widened eyes towards the sea, where it was slowly getting blacker by the second because of the Demon Larvae's endless feeding on it. The image of dead flowers ran across the 16-year-old's mind, and she fiercely shook her head, clearing it of all thought.

_No…I can't let that happen to the sea…I WILL NOT LET THE SAME FATE BEFALL THE SEA!_

With fire in her eyes, the new Pretear of Sound flew towards the Demon Larvae's mouth, pressing her index and middle finger to her lips. "SONIC ARROW!" She called, and blew hard between her two fingers. The resulting force ripped the Demon Larvae apart as well as the core inside its mouth, and it let out a wail before completely disintegrating.

"I did it…I DID IT!" Sakura cheered, doing her victory dance, with Saitoshi chuckling at her actions. She touched down onto the ground and separated from Saitoshi, the others landing around them.

"SAKURA! YOU DID IT!" Hitori squealed, glomping the African-American teen.

"Yes, we've already established this fact." Tenshi said, nonetheless grinning from ear to ear. Sakura smiled to mask that she was lost in thought.

_But I was so nervous…was this how it was for Himeno-san and the original Leafe Knights? Did they experience the same kind of hardships…?_

A pat on the head brought Sakura out of her thoughts, and she looked up to find Hiro smirking down at her.

"What do you look so perplexed about? You managed to defeat the Demon Larvae and saved the sea." He said, nodding towards the ocean. Everyone looked over to find that the water had returned to its sparkling blue nature, the quickly fading sun and early stars glistening in its depth. Sakura felt a tug on her jeans and gazed down to find Himura beside her, holding Tenshi's hand.

"The ocean says thank you, Sakura-san." He said, a smile gracing his cute little boy features. Sakura smiled back.

"I'm just glad I could help before it was too late. And it wasn't just ME, after all." The Cherry Blossom Princess turned to Saitoshi, who blinked in surprise. "Thank you, Saitoshi. You helped me keep my head when I started to freak, and that's important." She said, still smiling. Saitoshi's eyes saddened while the other Knights shifted uncomfortably. Gaki had informed him and Hiro of Sakura's condition, and neither one could believe it.

"It was…no problem." The new Knight of Sound replied. Sakura then went to Hiro.

"And thank you too, Hiro. You gave me my confidence back, and I appreciate it." Sakura said somewhat shyly, her head lowered to hide her blush.

_Okay…this moment is WAY too awkward… _Hiro thought, trying to find some way to distract the group. His savior came in the form of his parents, running along the bank of the beach to them.

"Hey! Did we miss the action already?" Himeno called, coming to a stop a few feet from the group.

_Saved by Mom…_ Hiro's thoughts commented, as everyone's attention was directed towards the reddish-brown haired woman.

"Uh…yeah, we just finished up here…" Moki said, rubbing the back of his sandy-blonde head. Himeno beamed at Sakura.

"Well, it seems you managed to fight without my help. Well done, Sakura." She praised. Sakura stared at Himeno, a slight frown on her face.

"Himeno-san…what kind of danger did you and the original Leafe Knights have to face? Did you have to battle all the time? Was it as hard for you as it was for me?"

"Wow, what's with all the questions all of a sudden?" Himeno asked, looking shocked.

"I want to be able to understand what you had to go through, Himeno-san. If I can't do that, I will never to be able to understand exactly what I'm fighting for. So, if it's possible…could I meet the rest of the original Leafe Knights?" Sakura pleaded, surprising everyone excluding Himeno, who simply smiled the way she always did.

"I had a feeling you'd ask me this sooner or later." The reddish-brown haired Pretear said, beckoning for everyone to follow her back to the mansion. "I have a few friends that I want you to meet, Sakura."

…

As soon as Sakura stepped into the mansion, she was greeted by a fuming Hiniku, who yelled, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE A SUPER-HERO!"

_What the hell? _Sakura wondered, as she backed away from Hiniku's short wrathful being.

"Oh yeah, about that…She and her brother wouldn't let us leave the house until we explained everything to them." Himeno explained, scratching her cheek with her index finger with a nervous grin on her face.

"I see." Sakura answered, sweatdropping. Once they had finally gotten Hiniku settled, the group followed Himeno and Hayate to the parlor. They opened the door and walked in first, everyone else hovering near the doorway.

"Thank you for coming, minna-san." Himeno greeted, bowing to the rather large group inside.

"What's the meaning of this, Himeno? It's getting late, and I need at least 18 hours of beauty sleep!" Complained a pink-haired snobby sounding woman with green eyes, clinging to the arm of a man with short blonde hair and golden eyes, who retorted to her,

"Kami knows you need it, dear."

"EXCUSE me? Care to repeat that, Kei?"

"Not really, no." The now furious pink-haired woman was about to strangle her so-called "loving husband" when a woman with shoulder-length green hair grabbed her shoulder and held fast.

"Now Mayune, I'm really sure that Kei was joking. After all, he married you, didn't he?"

"What's THAT supposed to mean!" Mayune retorted, shrugging off the green-haired woman that had green eyes similar to hers. "And you should mind your own business, Mawata!" She added in a matter-of-factly manner.

"Well, you're being kind of loud about your business, don't you think?" A man with black hair and red streaks spoke up to defend Mawata; they appeared to be married. Mayune fumed some more and opened her mouth to say something when a man with snow-white hair snickered and said,

"You're always the one butting into everyone else's affairs, Go!"

"Um, no Mannen, that's always YOU." A woman with honey colored hair standing next to him corrected, her glasses framing her green eyes.

"Oh yeah…" Mannen admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"Honestly, what would you do without Yayoi, Mannen?" Piped up a man with long orange hair and ocean blue eyes, his arm wrapped around a woman that looked oddly familiar to Sakura…

"He'd be dead, of course, Hajime." A man with semi-long blonde hair answered Hajime's question, with a woman with dirty blonde hair and spring green eyes that were a lighter shade of green than his chuckling with him.

"SHUT UP, SHIN! QUIT LAUGHING AT ME!" Mannen roared, Yayoi holding him back from attempting to injure Shin.

"Hey now, I'm not a child anymore. You can't boss me around like that." Shin reprimanded, and then stuck out his tongue. "So NYAH-AH!" He taunted, infuriating Mannen even more.

The pissed off original Knight of Ice opened his mouth to shout some more at Shin, but no sound came out. The room was oddly silent, and no matter how hard anyone tried, they couldn't get their mouths to produce sound. All at once, everyone turned to the man responsible.

_Sasame._

They were glaring at a tall man with short yet gorgeous silver hair and enchanting violet eyes. He was smirking mischievously, with a large glowing ball of Leafe in his right hand.

"Sorry, but it was way too noisy, and you all were giving me a headache. Such noise isn't good for the Knight of Sound, you know?" Sasame said, before returning everyone's Sound Leafe.

"AHEM!" Himeno cleared her throat rather loudly, grabbing everyone's attention and saving Sasame from another shout-fest. "Thank you. Now, first of all, Mayune my dear sister, and I use the term 'dear' loosely, I had only asked the MEN to come, you tagging along was your own choice." Mayune pouted but chose not to retort. "Second, I didn't gather you all here just so you could have a childish fight over nothing." Himeno continued, staring pointedly at Shin and Mannen, who shifted uncomfortably under the accusing glare of the woman they always considered a bigger sister. "And third, I'd like you all to meet someone." Himeno finished, her scolding tone changing to a gentle one as she stepped to the side, revealing Sakura to the adults in the room.

Shocked at suddenly being exposed, Sakura made no effort to come out of the group she was surrounded by so the original Leafe Knights could get a better look at her. Rather, she retreated father into the ring of people around her, until she accidentally stepped on Hiro's foot. Annoyed, he pushed the 16-year-old out into the open, causing her to stumble and almost lose her footing. When she regained her posture, she took a moment to glare intensely at Hiro, who rolled his eyes in response, then turned her attention to the mass group of adults staring at her. An uncharacteristic shyness began to overtake her, and she stood there, staring at the floor and subconsciously playing with her birthstone ring. Himeno sympathized with Sakura, and introduced her instead.

"This is Sakura Petala. She's the new Pretear." Sasame's violet eyes lit up in realization.

"Ohhhh, so THIS is the famous Sakura that Saitoshi has told us so much about." He said, causing his son to blush and groan "Daaad!" out of embarrassment. Sasame made his way over to the African-American teen and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She slowly looked up into his kind, smiling face, a bit of her shyness ebbing away.

"Don't be afraid, we won't bite…much." Sasame joked, winking.

"Now now, don't forget that you're a married man, Sasame." Spoke up a woman with long jet-black hair and lime green eyes that Sakura hadn't noticed until now. She walked over to where Sasame was standing and wrapped her arms around his right arm. Sasame smiled at her and kissed her cheek.

"I wouldn't dream of it, my darling Takako." He responded.

_Oh, gag me… _Saitoshi thought, covering his face with his hand to avoid looking at the mushy show of affection his parents were embarrassingly displaying.

Sakura stood there, rooted to the spot, her chocolate brown orbs wide and staring at Takako. Takako noticed this and smiled kindly at Sakura.

"Is something wrong?" She queried, snapping the Cherry Blossom Princess out of it.

"N-no, not really…it's just…you look an AWFUL lot like…" Sakura paused. Was she simply seeing things? Had she totally lost it this time? Did she EVER have "it"? "… … …Nevermind." She concluded, disregarding the thought.

_That's ridiculous. There's no way… _Sakura told herself, shaking her head and ridding herself of the crazy scenario in her head.

…

"Well you see, once I was made Pretear, I was unsure of myself, always unsure of myself. But Hayate was always there for me. He was so gentle, that I couldn't help but fall in love with him. But I had misinterpreted his kindness. When he rejected me, my heart fell into despair, and… I had become the Princess of Disaster." Takako explained, telling Sakura of her story of when she was Pretear.

Everyone was now sitting in a circle in the parlor, with Sakura sitting in the middle, with Tenshi sitting beside her. The new Leafe Knights sat behind Tenshi and Sakura, while the original Leafe Knights were seated in front of them. Kai and Hiniku sat off to the side, quietly observing the group of super-natural freaks. (As Hiniku would so lovingly put it.) A heavy rain splattered on the windows of the parlor as the new Pretear sat calmly, taking in what Takako was saying.

"That must have been a lot to go through." Sakura said, a concerned look etched into her features. Takako looked surprised for a second, then she smiled softly.

"It was. Not just for me, but for the people who were in pain by my hands. Eventually, after a long search, the Leafe Knights had found a new Pretear, and that was Himeno." Takako gestured toward Himeno, who was sitting on her right side, and she smiled at Takako. "Himeno's father had married the owner of the house I worked in disguised as a maid, so I kept watch over her every day. There were many battles in which Himeno won, but for a while, she had lost her ability to Prete, because I had filled her with the same loneliness I was suffering from…" Takako cut herself off, staring at the floor in shame, while Sasame squeezed her left hand.

"This was about the time I had abandoned my duty as a Leafe Knight and had joined Taka…no, **Fenrir**, and had helped her to cause even more destruction." Sasame spoke up, using the name that Takako had when she was the Princess of Disaster.

"Wow," Tenshi whispered to Sakura, "This kinda like Anakin Skywalker turning into Darth Vader on Star-"

"DON'T SAY IT." Sakura whispered harshly, cutting her friend/sister off. The 16-year-old DESPISED Star Wars with a burning passion, but Tenshi couldn't seem to get enough of it. (**A/N: I'm sorry (not) if I offended anyone who's a fan of Star Wars, but I REALLY don't like it. End of story.**)

"But when Fenrir gave me the order to kill my fellow Knights and Himeno… I couldn't do it. I wouldn't do it. Deep down, I knew it was wrong. Himeno's words had shown what I was doing was wrong too. But by then, The Tree of Fenrir…a tree Fenrir had created out of Mawata's loneliness," Sasame quickly explained, noticing the perplexed look on Sakura's face, "Had grown out of control. Wanting more power, it lashed out at the nearest source of Leafe: Takako. It was too late for her to run, so I jumped in the way of the vicious vines…and died." Sasame finished bluntly. Sakura face now held her famous "Say WHAT!" look.

"…ExCUSE me? You DIED?" Sakura questioned, her mood ring changing purple to show how freaked out she was. Sasame chuckled at her response.

"I know what you're thinking, but we haven't finished explaining yet." He said, then Himeno took over the story telling for a while.

"After Sasame…well, 'died' isn't quite the correct term. After he **faded**, is a better word for it, Takako had returned to her normal 16-year-old state. The tree took hold of her, however, and Awayuki Island was further being destroyed. Everyone managed to evacuate before any real damage was caused, but the Leafe Knights and I were exhausted. With what little bit of Leafe they had, they gave to me, and two sai of all of their Leafe was created. I tried to talk some sense into Takako then, while battling the vines that were continuously shot at me. But, before I knew it, a bunch of vines grabbed my arms and legs and pinned me down to the ground. Then, this cloud of dark miasmic vines shot down from the sky and at me. But at the time, I was Preting with Hayate, so he shielded me at the cost of his own health. He destroyed the miasmic vines and diffused from me, using the last bit of his power to release me. It was then that Hayate died, but his body had yet to fade away."

"Whoa." Sakura breathed, soaking up all the information. "What kept you going?" She asked Himeno, who smiled.

"Simple. I didn't want to lose. I **wouldn't** be beaten. That's what drove me to become The Legendary White Pretear." Himeno explained. Sakura blinked.

" 'Legendary White Pretear'? What's that?" She asked, causing the original Leafe Knights to sweatdrop.

"You didn't tell her about the legend?" Kei queried ludicrously. Himeno laughed nervously.

"Well, it didn't seem important at the time…" She offered meekly.

"DIDN'T SEEM IMPORTANT!" The others shouted.

"But Himeno! You managed to become The White Pretear on your own! You ARE the legend!" Mannen exclaimed, with Hajime and Shin nodding behind him.

"I always knew you were special, Himeno!" Yayoi spoke up, when her eyes suddenly went into "Sparkly Mode." "The story of a young girl who suddenly finds herself in a new place, with cold distant sisters, trying to find her reason in life, when suddenly seven boys come into her life, the eldest ones VERY handsome, and they embark on a mission by working together to create a better tomorrow! Oh, it's SO ROMANTIC!" Yayoi squealed. Everyone stared at her, but she was used to this, and continued to go off in her own little world.

The room was silent, with the exception of Yayoi going off into her weird scenarios again, and Sakura did the only thing she could think of at the second.

She burst into hysterics.

Everyone stared at her in alarm, surprised by the sudden outburst. But Sakura couldn't help it. The 16-year-old found Yayoi's insane ramblings downright hilarious, and she gasped for breath as her laughter eventually died down.

"So THAT'S where Moki gets it from." Sakura realized, unable to keep her grin off her face as she turned to Moki. "You must have interesting conversations with your mother." She said, trying hard not to lose it again.

"Uh…yeah, I guess you could say that." Moki admitted, rubbing the back of his head. He hadn't really thought much of it before. This signaled Sakura to go into another fit of giggles. Tenshi didn't really see what the big deal was, but Sakura's laughter was contagious, so pretty soon, she started to laugh too. Tenshi's laughter was followed by Hiniku, then Saitoshi, then Gaki, Kato, Moki, Himura, and Shinta. Pretty soon the whole room was booming with laughter. Hiro and Kai merely smirked in amusement, however, since they considered themselves "too cool to laugh in public."

All of a sudden, the double doors to the parlor burst open, and everyone swiveled to the entrance to see a certain very wet, VERY pissed-off teen with long jet-black hair pulled into a ponytail and lime green eyes.

"I thought so. I heard laughing in here." He grumbled, rainwater dripping from his bangs.

"Kenji!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise, jumping up and making her way over to her boyfriend. "Where have you been all night? And you're soaked!" Sakura reached up a hand to brush away excess water from his bangs, but he smacked her hand away, shocking both her and himself slightly.

"I'm fine." He muttered just loud enough for her to hear. _What did I do that for?_ He wondered. He never got mad at Sakura before, why now? Because he felt that she was avoiding him on purpose?

Sakura stared at Kenji for a few seconds, the scowled, her pissed off tiger-like instincts taking over. Without warning, she grabbed Kenji's left ear and pulled.

"OW!" he shouted, but Sakura showed him no mercy and continued to yank on his ear as she began to walk to a corner of the room. "OW OW OW OW OWWW! Let go let go let go let gooo!" Kenji howled in pain, having no choice but to stoop over and follow his vengeful girlfriend in order to keep his ear the way he wanted it: on the side of his head.

When they had reached the corner of the room where an empty chair stood off to the side, Sakura released Kenji, and he took that time to rub his ear and try to get rid of the pain.

"Dammit, woman, what was THAT for!" He growled. Sakura gave him a Look, and Kenji realized his mistake too late.

"Don't you talk that way to me, Kenji Nakajima!" Sakura ordered, her African-American pride kicking in as she used his full name. Kenji flinched, knowing that when Sakura got like this, there was no stopping her. "Now sit down!" She commanded, gesturing towards the chair, and Kenji did as he was told. As long as he obeyed her wishes, he wouldn't be hurt TOO badly.

Hitori, who it seems, slipped out of the room without anyone noticing, suddenly reappeared with a towel, a brush, and a comb, and gave these items to Sakura. The 16-year-old seemed surprised for a moment, and then gave Hiro's twin an appreciative grin.

"Thanks, Hitori-chan." Sakura said to Hitori, who smiled.

"Glad I could help." She replied. Hitori had a feeling that Sakura would need those items as soon as she saw the state Kenji was in, so she rushed off to get them. This was going to make things interesting.

Sakura placed the comb and brush on a near-by end table and slung the towel over her shoulder as she worked on getting the sodden rubber band out of Kenji's hair.

"Hey hey, what are you doing!" Kenji demanded to know. He liked the length of his hair, and he wasn't about to let anyone change it. Sakura rolled her eyes, sensing Kenji's fear.

"Oh relax, I'm not gonna do anything drastic." She reassured him, finally getting the rubber band out. She then proceeded with taking the towel and drying Kenji's hair.

"Ow! Not so hard!" He complained childishly.

"Don't be such a baby." Sakura scolded, nonetheless letting up on how hard she was drying his hair. Kenji sat there and let Sakura dry his hair, glaring at the floor so he didn't have to look at anyone. He knew everyone was watching, and what irked him the most was that they all probably thought he was whipped.

(**A/N: I use the term "whipped" to describe Kenji because the way he is ordered around by Sakura makes it seem like he has no back-bone, which is what the term, in this situation, basically means. Just wanted to clarify that for anyone who didn't get it.**)

Takako and Sasame were staring intently at the two. Not because this was funny as hell to watch, but for a different reason, a more disturbing reason.

It couldn't be mere coincidence. The jet-black hair, the lime green eyes, the pale porcelain-like skin. Sasame turned to his wife, who was still staring at the one called Kenji. Her lower lip was trembling.

_So, it's not just me who thinks so… _Sasame thought, sub-consciously tightening his grip on Takako's hand.

The two had a lot to talk about when they were to get back home.

…

After Sakura had finished grooming Kenji's hair in front of everyone, she went upstairs with him so he could change into dry clothes. Sakura sat on the bed while Kenji was in the bathroom changing.

"I looked everywhere for you today, but I couldn't find you. Where were you all day, huh Sakura?" Kenji wanted to know, talking to her through the bathroom door.

"Ah…" Sakura stuttered. Tenshi had told her about Saitoshi's lies to help her out that day. _Dammit. While I appreciate you trying to help me out, Saitoshi, did you HAVE to get me caught up in this web of lies! _She thought bitterly.

"Well?" Kenji prodded, coming out of the bathroom in dry clothes. Sakura couldn't bring himself to look him in the eye.

"Well…I was out exploring the town with Tenshi. Then we split up and I met up with Saitoshi and Shinta at the park, and then went with Hitori and everyone else to grab some dinner, and then we all headed back here." Sakura lied, altering her excuse to fit what Saitoshi had told Kenji already to make it more believable.

"Hmmm…" Kenji hummed doubtfully. He hopped across the bed to where Sakura was sitting and sat next to her, lifting her chin to make her look into his green eyes.

"You SWEAR that what you told me is the truth?" Kenji asked, searching her eyes for any trace of deception. Sakura stared back, trying hard not too blink too many times.

"What I told you is the truth." She confirmed. Kenji stared at her a bit longer, then grinned.

"Okay. Since I know you'd NEVER lie to me, I believe you." He said, lying back onto the bed, his head resting on his hands. Sakura stared back at him, unable to believe that it was THAT easy.

_My boyfriend is really gullible. Either that, or I'm a REALLY good liar. _Sakura made a face at herself as she turned back around to stare at the stars outside of Kenji's bedroom windows.

_And that's NOT something to be proud of._

Sakura never lied to Kenji. She tried not to lie to anyone, but found it hard at times when she felt the need to protect herself from what others thought of her. _I'm pathetic._ She concluded. She turned around to look back at Kenji and tell him the truth, no matter how crazy it sounded, only to find him sitting up, inches from her face.

"WAK!" Sakura quacked in alarm. She quickly regained her composure and glared at Kenji. "Jeez, give me a heart attack, why don'tcha?" She accused. Kenji merely grinned at her.

"Sorry if I surprised you. I couldn't help but get close. You're really cute when you're lost in thought." Sakura blushed deeply at that comment, but she playfully punched him on the arm to ease her embarrassment.

"Tease." She muttered, when she felt her body being pressed against Kenji's. Apparently, without her knowing, Kenji had slid his arm around her waist, his hand resting on the small of her back, enabling him to pull her closer. The 16-year-old stared up at him, her blush growing. She had forgotten how strong Kenji could be. Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura thought she saw a flash of blue outside of Kenji's window, but before she could comment on it, she found her lips occupied by Kenji's.

While she was off-guard, Kenji took that moment to shift their weights, so that Sakura was on her back with him on top of her, continuing the kiss. Their tongues battled for dominance as Sakura combed her fingers through Kenji's soft hair. The 17-year-old's hand slipped unnoticed under Sakura's shirt, and it began making its way slowly upwards until-

A loud knock penetrated the room, scaring the couple and forcing them to break apart, panting heavily from lack of air. "Damn it." Kenji cursed, earning a giggle from Sakura.

"You know I wouldn't have let you get that far anyway." She teased. Kenji grinned devilishly at her.

"No, but this was a start." Kenji said, pinching the skin just below where his intended mark lay. Before Sakura could protest his actions, he was off of the bed, and went to go see who was at the door. Sakura sat up and pressed the cold palm of her hand to her forehead, trying to cool down.

"What do YOU want?" She heard her boyfriend growl.

_Eh? Kenji's usually nice to other people. Who could it be? _Sakura wondered, getting up to find out. Her question was answered when she found a certain new Knight of Wind at the door, having an intense glare-match with Kenji.

"Hiro?" Sakura queried, making her way over to Kenji's side. "What are you doing here?" Hiro's expression softened when he saw Sakura.

"Mom wants to talk to you." He said. Hearing this, Sakura said a quick good-bye to Kenji and followed Hiro down the hall. He was quiet and wouldn't look her way. He just kept his eyes averted, staring straight ahead. He wouldn't talk to Sakura either. She found this a bit odd, even though Hiro was always distant. Something else nagged at the back of her mind as well.

"Hiro, how did you know I was in Kenji's room?" She questioned.

"You said you were going to go with him so he could change, remember?" Hiro answered, still not looking at her. "When I went up to your room, you weren't there, so I figured you were still with _Kenji_." Hiro bit out Kenji's name like it was a lethal poison on his tongue. Sakura cocked her head to the right. Why did Kenji and Hiro seem to dislike each other so much?

The flash of blue Sakura had seen before ran through her mind, and her eyes widened in sudden realization. She ran ahead and came to a stop in front of Hiro, blocking his path. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Hiro…" Sakura hissed in a very ticked off manner. "Were you outside Kenji's window SPYING on us!" She accused. Both Hiro's eyebrows rose in response, and he snorted.

"What makes you think I'd want to spy on you and your boyfriend?" He questioned with a ludicrous look on his face. "Did you want me to?"

"OF COURSE NOT!" Sakura shouted back at him, waving her fists over her head in a frantic manner. "It's just--" Sakura paused. Was the flash of blue she saw REALLY Hiro, or was she just jumping to conclusions? Besides, Hiro SEEMED innocent enough. There wasn't a hint of guilt in his eyes. "…Nevermind." Sakura dismissed, embarrassed with herself with coming to such a crazy conclusion. The African-American teen turned around and started to walk down the hall with Hiro in tow. He silently bonked himself on the head.

_Baka, she saw you leave. _He scolded himself. Maybe hovering right in front of the window was a bad place to hide. _I gotta be more sneaky from now on._

…

"Himeno-san." Tenshi called to Himeno over the noise inside of the parlor. Himeno nodded at her, showing Tenshi that she had her attention. "If you were able to become the Legendary White Pretear, does that mean that Sakura can as well?" The star-obsessed teen asked out of curiosity. Himeno put her teacup onto its plate and pressed her index finger to her cheek, deep in thought.

"Well, I guess it COULD happen…" Replied Himeno, a bit uncertain about her answer. Hitori, who had been listening in on their conversation, piped up,

"But Mom, how do you explain the fact that Sakura's outfit changes when she Pretes? That's never happened to YOU before, has it?"

"No, it hasn't." Himeno admitted, going deeper into her thoughts. "I wonder…"

"The Pretear outfit has changed?" Go queried. Suddenly, all the original Leafe Knights were interested as well.

"Yes, you see, whenever Sakura Pretes with one of the new Leafe Knights, the signature color of the Knight remains on the outfit, but what's supposed to be white turns gold in her case." Himeno explained.

"And a tomboy effect is added, where she ends up wearing pants or shorts." Tenshi added.

"AND the flower choker she wears all the time stays after the Preting, only 4 of the 8 petals turn gold, and she has these RAD markings near her eyes which symbols vary with whichever Knight she's Preting with, but one is always gold." Supplied Hitori, talking a little like a Valley Girl and making everyone sweatdrop.

"Gold, huh? Interesting…" Kei said, gripping his chin in a thoughtful manner.

"Do you know something about it, Kei?" Hayate asked.

"I might." Kei replied. "You see, I was looking through some books one day when-"

As Kei started to ramble on about what he had read, Tenshi felt a pair of eyes on her. She turned her head to the right and glanced at a mirror image of herself. She did a small double take to find that she wasn't looking at a mirror, but an older woman with dark brown hair and light blue bangs. The woman was sitting next to Hajime, who, Tenshi guessed was Himura's dad.

_That must be Himura's mom. _Tenshi realized, her mahogany eyes lighting up in recognition. _Himura wasn't lying when he said I looked like her…_

The woman smiled warmly at Tenshi, her coffee brown eyes sparkling. Tenshi felt the sudden urge to get up and go talk to this woman, but just as the idea crossed her mind, she heard someone else calling her name.

"Tenshi!" The 15-year-old felt a sharp pinch on her arm.

"Ouch!" She yelped, furiously rubbing the sore spot on her arm and glaring up at a smirking Sakura, who was standing next to her. "What was THAT for?" She hissed, resisting the need to punch her friend in the gut.

"Sorry, you wouldn't answer me, so I had to resort to violence. What were you spacing out about anyways?" The Cherry Blossom Princess interrogated. Tenshi turned her attention back to Himura's mother, who was now engaged in a conversation with Himura's father.

"…It was nothing." She answered. Sakura tilted her head to the right.

"Whatever then." The 16-year-old's face suddenly grew solemn. "You know what today is, right?" Tenshi's eyes grew sad. Of course she knew what today was. It had been at the back of her mind all day, bothering her. She forced a smile and tried to act happy, but Tenshi caught the sideways glances from Sakura from time to time that day.

Tenshi silently nodded, and followed Sakura through the double doors leading to the parlor balcony.

"Hey! Where are they going THIS time?" Hiniku demanded to know of Kai, tired of being left out. First, she finds out Sakura's a super freak, and THEN she and Tenshi go off to have their own private meeting! Without waiting for an answer, Hiniku began to march over to the balcony doors when Kai caught her shoulder and held fast. "Kai?" Hiniku asked in surprise, looking back at her stepbrother. Kai was staring out the balcony doors, as Tenshi and Sakura made their way over to the railing of the balcony.

"Let them be for a while." Kai said, his crimson eyes softening up. "Don't you remember what today is?" Hiniku thought for a moment, then her jaw dropped in sudden realization.

"Oh yeah!" She exclaimed, and then turned to the balcony doors, sadness brimming in her dark brown eyes. "Poor Tenshi…"

…

"Well, we can't visit their graves obviously, since they're all the way back in Kyoto. But we can at least pray." Sakura said slowly after a few minutes of silence between her and Tenshi. Tenshi nodded, and they both clasped their hands and bowed their heads in prayer.

_Hi Mum, Dad, Tai. It's me, Tenshi. I'm sorry I couldn't visit your graves today, but Sakura needed me to come with her to Awayuki Island. But I haven't forgotten that today is your death anniversary. Sakura didn't forget either, so I'm glad. I still miss you guys so much. Words can't really express my sorrow. Sometimes, life gets hard for me, and I almost feel like quitting._

Crystal blue tears began to make their way down Tenshi's cheeks, and she sniffed, causing Sakura's attention to be drawn to her.

_But I know I can't quit. I can't just give up, because…_

Tenshi felt a hand on her back, and looked over to see Sakura smiling comfortingly at her. Tenshi smiled weakly back through her tears.

_…Because, I have something to live for. I have people I care about to live for. For Sakura, for Hiniku, for Kai, Himura, Sakura's and my new family…and you too, Mum, Dad and Tai. And I owe it to myself to keep living too. I'll live my life to the fullest, for you guys._

Tenshi rested her head on Sakura's shoulder, letting the endless flow of tears fall. Sakura continued to pat her friend/sister on the back, a few tears of her own escaping her chocolate brown orbs.

_Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino, please continue to watch over Tenshi and keep her safe. _Sakura silently prayed, looking up at the starry sky over their heads.

And when she saw two shooting stars streak across the sky, Sakura knew her prayer had been heard.

…

**A/N: I know, I know, sentimental ending, LOL. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. O.O Wow, I actually updated sooner than normal! AHH! THE APOCALYPSE IS COMING! XD J/K. Please leave a review telling me your thoughts on this chapter, or even the story in general, and I just may update soon again! **

**-MuraSakura **


	9. Chapter 9: A Simple Day At The Beach

**Pretear: Legend Of The Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N: Chapter 9! WHOO! XD This chapter is gonna be purely for hilarious comedy, fluffy romance…and whatever random ideas pop into my demented brain! (Lightning flashes) BWAHAHAHA!**

**Hiro: WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!**

**MuraSakura: THAT'S RIGHT! BE AFRAID! BE VERY AFRAID! BWAHAHAHA! (Chases Hiro with Daddy Frying Pan)**

**Saitoshi: Er… (Sweatdrop) Um, I guess I should do the disclaimer: The authoress of this fanfic does NOT own Pretear or Kai Hiwatari from BeyBlade. Tenshi and Tenshi's catchphrase belongs to Tenshi Hikari, and Invisible Love owns Hiniku. MuraSakura owns all the other OC'S in this fic.**

**Hiro: (In the background) SAVE ME!**

**MuraSakura: (Pounces on Hiro and starts viciously hitting him on the head with her Frying Pan) HA HA! VENGENCE WILL BE MIIIINE!**

**Saitoshi: ...Sakura-chan, did you take your medicine today?**

**MuraSakura: (Looks around shiftily) … Maybe…**

**Answer To Reviews:**

**Dreamgirllogan: No problem! I couldn't keep you wait TOO long, LOL. You're hoping for a HiroxSakura coupling, eh? Well the, you'll LOVE this chapter! (Wink wink)**

**KHStennis01: Well sure, the story is confusing in the BEGINNING, but you only read up to chapter three! It starts making more sense if you read the WHOLE story. And I know how Goh is spelled; I just forgot to spell it that way. XD Sorry. Thank you for reviewing! Hopefully you'll read the rest of the story and start to get it. **

Chapter 9: A Simple Day At The Beach 

"BWA-CHOO!" Kenji sneezed. He had been doing that all morning, ever since he woke up to a blotchy face and a stuffy red nose. He was now in bed, not being allowed to get up unless Sakura said so. He sighed and sneezed again, almost making the thermometer in his mouth go flying, but catching it with his teeth just in time. "Really, Saku, I'm fine." He tried to convince her after sticking the thermometer back under his tongue. "I just caught a little cold from being out in the rain last night. I'm not gonna die."

"Well, we can't take any chances, can we?" Sakura answered, placing a wet cloth on her boyfriend's steaming forehead. "It was bad enough when you showed up to breakfast looking like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but THEN you let out a gigantic sneeze and infect everyone's food! If you weren't feeling well, you should've stayed in bed! You should know better than to make me worry, Sweetie!" Sakura finally finished ranting on an affectionate note, stroking Kenji's cheek in a loving way.

Kenji's face turned even redder than it already was. Sakura then plucked the thermometer out of his mouth, read the temperature, and let out a low whistle.

"One hundred and one. Looks like YOU'RE staying in bed today, Kenji." Sakura announced with a smirk. Kenji gave her a scared look.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"So what if I am? Besides…" Sakura gazed out the window, where the sun was pouring in. "…Whenever I get sick, or feel bad, you're always the one who cures me. I guess it's because you want to be a doctor that you stay so healthy all the time, but on this rare opportunity of you getting sick…" Sakura turned back to him, a smile on her face so bright that it envied the shine of the sun. "I'd like to take care of you and repay my debt to you." She said softly. Kenji stared at her; he never knew she felt that way. He sat up and took her hands in his, staring intently into her eyes.

"Sakura…you've already paid your debt. Just being with me is thanks enough." He whispered, leaning in for a kiss, when Sakura pulled her hands loose and crossed her index fingers in front of her lips.

"Germs." She simply stated, winking. Kenji laughed with her, silently cursing his luck at not being able to get a kiss. "Anyways, don't even THINK about getting out of bed today, because I'll be here all day to take care of you." The Cherry Blossom Princess said.

"Sorry, no can-do, Sakura-chan!" Shouted Hitori, wearing a bathing suit with a towel slung over her shoulder and sunglasses hiding her eyes from view.

"AHHH!" Sakura and Kenji shouted in unison, startled by Hiro's twin's sudden appearance.

"Uh…how long have you been there, Hitori…?" Sakura asked shakily, feeling slight Déjà vu over this scene. Hitori winked mysteriously.

"Long enough. And you CAN'T stay inside all day! We're going to the beach!" The over-zealous teen declared, striking a surfer pose.

"Huh? The beach?" Sakura blinked.

"That's right!" Hitori confirmed, grinning widely. "Mom and Dad gave me permission to use the Awayuki summer house near the beach, so we can have a sleep over there! It'll be like…a vacation AWAY from a vacation!" She said, giggling at her own joke. Sakura smiled weakly.

"Well, it sounds nice Hitori-chan, but I just can't go off and leave Kenji here by himself…"

"It's alright. You should go, Sakura." Kenji cut in, causing Sakura's attention to be directed towards him.

"But Kenji-"

"Really, it's okay, I can take of myself. After all, it's just a cold." Kenji smiled, making the African-American teen's heart melt. "Go have fun." Before Sakura could ask Kenji if he was sure, Hitori took this opportunity to seize Sakura by the arm and drag her out of the room.

"You heard the man! Let's go!"

"Now wait a minute! Hold on!" Sakura protested in vain, staring helplessly back at Kenji, who was waving good-bye, a smug smirk on his lips.

…

**Sakura's POV (The dreaded Point Of View switch! BWAHAHAHA!)**

"Hitori, you're SURE it's okay to shirk my duties as the Pretear?" I asked for what seemed like the billionth time. Hitori just smiled patiently at me, which was VERY uncharacteristic of her.

"Don't worry, it's fine! Mom and Dad can handle WHATEVER the Princess of Disaster decides to dish out! Besides, this is a day for rest in relaxation!" She declared, mindlessly dumping her stuff on a vacant spot on the sand next to where we were standing, and madly dashed towards the sea, giggling like a maniac.

I swear, that girl always worries about the molehills, never about the mountains.

I raised my hand to shield my brown eyes from the viciously bright beams of the sun. I had no particular interest in the beach, because when I step into the water, the sand in between my toes feels weird…in an utterly gross way. Second, when the seawater accidentally flows into my mouth, I have to fight the violent urge to puke my guts out as I spit the nasty bile back out.

The horror of it all!

But, just for today, I was going to try and enjoy our time in the sun, especially since Tenshi has to put up with worse that I do: the painful sunburn she always manages to obtain, no matter HOW much sun block she puts on.

Plus, Hitori said that if Tenshi and I want, we could just go to the inside AND outside pools at the summer home!

HOORAY FOR RICH FRIENDS!

I suddenly felt eyes on me, and turned to find Hiro standing a few feet to the bottom left of where I was standing, staring shamelessly at me.

Okay, so I was wearing this cool two-piece bathing suit that was red with blue tiger stripes on it, and it hugged my body and showed off my curves; and my hair was pulled back (except for my bangs) by my matching bandana so my neck and shoulders were actually visible, but he didn't have to STARE like that!

"What?" I wanted to know, annoyance evident in my voice. Even though Hiro and I had decided to become friends, his staring was SERIOUSLY starting to get to me. Finally realizing that I could SEE him staring at me, he quickly turned the other way, his face bright red.

"Nothing." He replied in a would-be nonchalant voice.

_Yeah right, as if you ogling me is 'nothing', you perv! _My thoughts accused. But then again, as I looked him up and down, I wasn't really doing any better.

Hiro was the decent kind of guy to NOT wear a Speedo like other guys who think it's sexy (gag), so he was wearing blue swim trunks with a wind pattern instead. (Typical of the Knight of Wind.) My eyes wandered up to his chest. This guy looks like he's been working out for a good portion of his life.

Did people normally get that buff fighting monsters?

Then again, since when did NORMAL people work out by fighting monsters?

And as much as it KILLED me to admit, with those muscular arms, solid torso, and broad shoulders… Hiro looked good.

He looked GREAT. Almost…hot.

WHOA! Where the hell did THAT thought fall from! I tore my eyes away from Hiro's body and smacked my cheeks to snap out of it. I've been in the sun too long. So, I dumped my stuff on the sand along with everyone else's junk, and went to go join the others in the shallow part of the ocean.

…

"Hey, has anyone seen my brother?" Hitori asked, after taking a sip of her smoothie. We were all lounging under a big umbrella Hitori had brought, and on towels, either slurping smoothies or licking an ice cream cone. I momentarily took my sunglasses off and glanced around quickly, searching for the hot-er-I mean **average **looking 18-year-old.

"No, why?" I asked nonchalantly, contentedly eating my double scoop chocolate ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles and hot fudge. (Hey, don't act like YOU'VE never had an ice cream cone packed with as much sugar as that.)

"I haven't seen him since a few hours ago, and I'm starting to worry." Said Hitori, concern for her twin written all over her face. I wasn't listening, though, because an abnormally large group of girls were gathered near the snack bar, giggling like idiots about something.

"Whatcha lookin' at, Sakura?" Tenshi asked curiously. She was sitting next to me, wearing a cool two-piece blue bathing suit with gold stars everywhere, and slapping on her THIRD bottle of sun tan lotion that day. Kai, who was wearing black swim trunks with a red phoenix on the left leg of it, was helping Tenshi by rubbing some of the lotion on her back, and I couldn't help but smirk. Those two were SO in love. (**A/N: Sorry Tenshi, had to do it! XD**)

"That crowd of girls over there." I explained, pointing. "I wonder what's so interesting that they're all crowding over there for?" Hiniku, who was sitting on my left, followed my line of vision and snorted disgustedly.

"Probably some whores throwing their selves at a hot guy. I had to chase away some of them who were trying to come on to Sai-kun." She glared sharply at the 17-year-old on her left, and he sweatdropped slightly. "WHY didn't you bother to say that you were TAKEN, Saitoshi?" She demanded of him. Saitoshi sweatdropped more heavily.

"Well, they were all just being nice, and I didn't see anything wrong with it…" He muttered, fiddling with a loose thread on his white swim trunks with purple music notes on it.

"You MEAN you didn't know how to say "no" to them." Hiniku huffed, crossing her arms over the top of her red Chinese style two-piece bathing suit with gold dragons on it.

Poor guy. I feel so sorry for him.

Suddenly, the crowd of giggling girls parted, revealing who was the source of all the commotion. My jaw dropped all the way to China.

"Is-is THAT Hiro!" I exclaimed, unable to contain my shock. Everyone whipped his or her head to the direction of where I was gawking. Pretty soon, their jaws joined mine in China.

"Oh. My. God." Hitori said, a scandalized look on her face.

"Well, who would've thought?" Gaki said in a bemused way.

"Way to go, Hiro!" Saitoshi cheered, a smirk on his face.

"Hey! I should be the one getting all the attention from the cute girls!" Kato complained, but quickly took it back and said "Not that ANY girl comes close to YOU, Tenshi my love!" Kai promptly scowled at that comment, and Kato quickly shuffled a safe distance away from him, with Moki, Himura, and Shinta snickering behind him.

I watched as one of the girls flirted shamelessly with Hiro, and he blushed and smiled awkwardly back. This shocked me, and I paid no attention when my ice cream slid off the cone and landed with a soft "plop" onto the sand.

When did THIS happen! Hiro was becoming more open, more **social**. I had never realized until now, that Hiro could be really sweet…when he wanted to. A frown began to cross my face as I looked on, Hiro smiling and talking, with the girls laughing at everything he said as if he were the funniest damn person on Earth.

Wait a minute…he could be friendly with a whole bunch of strange girls he barely even knew, but it's taken me THIS long to even REMOTELY be friends with him? For some reason, this pissed me off immensely, as I let out a disgusted snarl.

"Hmph. Bunch of skanks." I muttered bitterly, moving to eat more of my ice cream when I realized that it had dropped off the cone already. Fuming, I threw the cone in a conveniently near-by trash bin, cursing my luck. Tenshi observed my actions with a calm, knowing smirk on her face.

I hate that smirk.

Whenever she has that smirk, she uses her freaky way of figuring out what's on my mind and making it public.

NOT something I enjoy.

"Hmm, do I detect a hint of JEALOUSY, Sakura-chan?" She asked innocently. I shot up in an upright position and made a noise between sputtering in objection and snorting in amusement. Everyone else had heard Tenshi's comment and froze.

Why were they all staring at me?

I glowered fiercely at my so-called "best friend." "Of COURSE I am NOT jealous! Why would I be jealous? There's nothing to be jealous OF! Jealous, oh please." I ferociously denied, crossing my arms. Tenshi raised her eyebrows at me, and I KNOW she was thinking otherwise. Unable to take the stares of everyone anymore, I got up and announced that I was going to get a drink from the snack bar to replace my ruined ice cream. As I left, I heard Hitori cluck her tongue.

"Denial and Confusion. TWO major crisis in a relationship, whether it be someone you love…or someone you HATE to love…"

…

Hiro's POV 

I grinned politely at all the girls who were trying to tell me something virtually meaningless all at once, when in reality I wanted to get away from them as far as possible. But I feared that if I tried to make an escape, one of the girls would tackle me, drag me back to the group of rabid girls, and they would do horrible, terrible things to me just because they thought I was good-looking! (Don't know what they're **on, **but they seem to like my looks.)

………

Okay, so maybe my mind was exaggerating because I haven't been around that many girls for so long, but you never know! Besides, with the way Hitori acts when she's PMSing, I don't think I WANT to know what this group is capable of. Sakura's no better either, as a matter of fact.

Speaking of, didn't she just walk past?

I watched as she strutted by without even glancing at me (What was HER problem?) and made her way to the snack bar. I was about to call out to her when I noticed three other guys with greasy slime ball hair and Speedos (Oh God, I'm going to have to live with that image for the REST of my life! Some one shoot me!) checking her out.

Who the HELL did they think they were, staring so greedily like that!

My hostility grew even more when they got the bright idea to follow her. Knowing this would end ugly if I didn't do anything, I sidestepped the girls, following silently behind them. I ignored the whining calls to come back, as I had a more important mission to attend to.

Those girls would just have to find another plaything while I went and saved Sakura.

…

Sakura's POV 

I thanked the man behind the counter after I paid him the correct amount of yen and started to make my way back to my friends while sipping on my lemonade when these bozos with greasy hair and Speedos (Excuse me while I puke. Ugh!) surrounded me. SO not in the mood to deal with any drama, I snapped, "What the hell do YOU want?" To the guy in front of me, who seemed to be the leader. He smirked, looking me up and down while licking his lips.

"Damn, baby, your body SURE does look good in that bathing suit." He said, attempting a husky voice.

Dammit! WHY was my voluptuous body SUCH a curse! Look where it gets me!

I glared fiercely at the goon, resisting the urge to sock him in the jaw, even though he VERY much deserved it! I figured I'd give him a warning before he tried anything funny.

"Listen, I'm in a foul mood right now, so if you wanna be able to reproduce when you grow up, I suggest you leave me alone." I snarled viciously. The leader didn't seem affronted; rather, he raised his eyebrows in a disgustingly amused way.

"Wow, we've got a feisty one here, boys." He joked to the other assholes on my right and left. After that comment, they began to make their way closer towards me.

Crap. What am I supposed to do now?

They were WAY too close, and if I tried to make a break for it, they would undoubtedly reach out and put their slimy paws on me, then continue to drag me off to a secluded area where they'd proceed to have their way with me!

Oh HELL naw. I am NOT going to play the victim today!

Inspiration suddenly hit me as I eyed the cold lemonade still in my hands. Swiftly, I threw the cup at them, successfully making the liquid burn their eyes.

"AHH! SHIT!" The leader cursed. I felt no remorse as I turned and dashed wildly the other way, away from the beach and towards the boardwalk.

Yeah, okay, so the SMART thing to do would be to run TOWARDS civilization, i.e. my friends. THEN those jerks wouldn't dare approach me! But hey, what do you want me to say? I was THIS close to being raped, so I freaked and did the first thing that came to my mind: Ran like hell, praying to God those thugs wouldn't catch me.

Unfortunately, God didn't seem very fond of me today, for it only took a couple of seconds for the Goon Squad to catch up with me as my feet pounded to the rhythm of my heart against the boardwalk wood.

Oh Lord, I was SO going to have splinters after this!

C'mon, focus, Sakura! You have to find a way OUT of this mess!

To my dismay, I only found myself in DEEPER mayhem then I already was in, when I failed to notice the loose board sticking up from the rest of the wood on the boardwalk. And of course, I HAD to trip over the damned thing, painfully twisting my ankle in the process. I hit the boardwalk roughly, hissing in pain as I drew my injured ankle closer to me, and watching helplessly as it swelled to the size of a softball.

Well, there goes running for my life.

The Goon Squad had finally caught me, surrounding me once again and eliminating my very slim chances of escaping. All I could do was leer up at them in what I hoped was an intimidating manner.

God, I'm done for. WHERE was Kenji when I NEEDED him! Oh, that's right, Kenji was back at the Awayuki Mansion, with his _cold._ Dammit, of ALL times to be sick!

"I'm going to **punish **you for doing such a wicked thing as to throw lemonade in an attempt to blind me, Sweetheart." The leader drawled, a playfully scolding tone in his voice that sickened me. "You'll pay for your naughty deed." I flinched as he kneeled next to me and leaned in towards my face, his hot, not to mention FUNKY breath making my eyes water.

Seriously, has this guy even HEARD of Listerine?

Just as he was about to make his move on me, to my relief and utter astonishment, he flew back a good 15 feet instead, a trail of blood following him.

Damn! Whoever did THAT deserved a pat on the back!

But who-?

The leader's attacker moved so quickly that I didn't even notice him in front of me, his back to me, until just now. He turned around to face me, and my eyes quadrupled in size at the sight of his face.

"HIRO!" I blurted out, strangely relieved to see him. He didn't respond, rather, he held out his hand as an offer to help me to my feet. I noticed that it was his right hand, and I took care in placing my left hand in his so we wouldn't accidentally prete and scare the other two off.

Although I would VERY much enjoy that.

As he pulled me to my feet, I winced as weight was forced onto my bad ankle. Hiro saw this and a worried look overtook his features. I stared wide-eyed at him.

What the…

"HEY! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!" Goon #2 demanded to know, with Goon #3 glaring at Hiro in an attempt to look threatening.

Oh PUL-lease! I've just about had enough of the Goon Squad!

Apparently, so had Hiro, for his menacing stare-down froze Goon#2 and 3 in their tracks. I wanted to laugh, but was distracted by the arm snaking around my waist. Before I knew it, I found myself being held possessively against Hiro's body, his sudden warmth making my face go so red that I would've put a rose to shame.

Hmm, now WHY did **this **feel familiar? Wasn't I in a similar position as this before, but with a different person?

I thought of my poor sick Kenji back at the Awayuki Mansion and instantly felt guilty for letting Hiro hold me this way.

But why?

After all, Hiro and I were just friends, right…?

I snap out of my thoughts just in time to hear Hiro threaten in a low growl, "If I EVER catch ANY of you coming near MY Sakura again…" The two goons were now literally quaking in their boots, with their knees knocking together. I don't blame them; the look on Hiro's face was utterly frightening…

Wait a cotton pickin' minute!

HIS Sakura?

"WOW, look at the time! I believe we should go now, Bye!" Goon #3 shouted, taking off with Goon #2 right behind him, the two only pausing to stoop down and grab their fallen Goon Leader, and then resuming to get as far away from Hiro as possible. Hiro watched them go, still glaring in their direction.

When he turned back to me, his emotionless mask was in place, but the concern he let show earlier was still lingering in those mysterious auburn eyes of his.

Hiro is one **handsome **teenager.

I'm not afraid to admit that obvious fact anymore.

"Are you okay?" He queried, stepping back to let me have my space. This dissatisfied me immensely.

Why?

I wish I knew.

However, he kept a firm grip on my shoulders. My face was still pretty red, and I started to trip over my tongue. "Yea-I mean no-uh, my ankle…" I gestured stupidly towards my swollen right ankle, and Hiro took hold of the lower part of my thigh, lifting it so he could gingerly inspect my ankle. My face felt like it was on fire.

This was SO embarrassing…

"Ah, it'll be alright. At least it's not broken. When we get back to the summer home, I'll get you some ice for it." Hiro said, gently placing my leg back down instead of just letting it drop like he usually would.

Wow…he's changed so much…

I wonder if Kenji would've came to the same conclusion of my twisted ankle…

Well, THAT was a random thought!

I shook the out-of-the-blue musing out of my head and noticed that Hiro's back was to me again, but this time, he was kneeling down. He turned his head to look at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Get on. Since you obviously can't walk, I'll carry you back to the others." He somewhat ordered.

No way.

This is NOT happening.

**Hiro, **of ALL people, offering ME a piggy-back ride!

What parallel universe have I unknowingly sprinted into?

Stunned by all this, I had no choice but to nod and mutely climb onto Hiro's back. He held me under the knees to make sure I was securely on his back, and then we began to make our way back to the beach at a steady pace. After all, what was the rush? My hands held onto Hiro's shoulders, as I stared curiously at the back of his head, wondering if this was really Hiro and not some long-lost male triplet of his. After all, he didn't yet complain to me about how heavy I was or how much I was straining his back like I expected him to. Weird.

I surveyed the pink sky, the sun beginning to make its descent over the horizon.

Should I ask him?

Biting my lip, I somewhat timidly asked "Hiro…? Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did." Hiro replied with a hint of amusement in his voice. "What's up?" He asked on a more serious note.

"Um…how did you know I was in trouble?" I questioned, punking out on the first question I wanted to ask him, which was "Since when am I YOUR Sakura?"

"I saw those guys following you to the snack bar. And they just had "Trouble" written all over them. So I came to save you." Hiro answered.

I heard that! In **Speedos** no less! Yuck!

"But why did you feel the need to save me?" I asked in plain curiosity this time. Hiro stopped walking and turned to look at me. There was an incredulous look in his eyes.

"What did you except me to do? Ignore the fact that you were in danger?" He demanded of me, sounding a little hurt that I would feel the need to ask that question.

Actually, to tell you the truth, that's EXACTLY what I expected him to do.

Even though we were slowly starting to become friends, I expected him to ignore my presence and continue to have a good time with his little groupies.

Looks like I set my expectations too low for Hiro.

He faced front and continued to walk on without waiting for me to speak. I think he already knew the answer anyway.

"You're the Pretear. It's only natural that I, A Leafe Knight, would feel the need to protect you." He explained. For some reason, this didn't make me feel any better.

"Oh." I answered dully.

That's right. It was because I was the Pretear. If anything happened to me, the whole world would basically be screwed. It was the Leafe Knights' job to, if necessary, lay their lives down to protect mine. It wasn't because they cared for me as a **human being**, but because I was the Pretear.

Hiro must have noticed my sudden melancholy mood, for he then said, "But you know…you DO mean more to us than just as the Pretear." He told me.

Was that really true? Or did you just say that to make me feel better, Hiro?

And who was "us"? Did "us" refer to him and the rest of the LK (Leafe Knights)? Or was Hiro speaking in a really weird form of 3rd person?

…Nah, he must've been referring to him and the rest of the Leafe Knights. For some reason, I was unsatisfied with this answer too.

What did I want him to say?

Something more along the lines of "You mean more to ME than just as the Pretear" instead of "us"? Why would I want him to say that?

My God, what is WRONG with me?

………

You know, quite frankly, all these unanswered questions in my head are starting to get on my nerves.

But at least I knew I could get rid of **one** by asking Hiro about it.

"Hiro?" I started.

"Hmm?" He responded.

"What was with the whole "my Sakura" bit back with the Goon Squad?"

Hiro's ears go immediately red at my bringing up the topic, but he manages to say in an even voice,

"I figured they'd leave you alone if they thought we were a couple."

"Ohhh, so **that** explains why you held me so close like that." I say, finally understanding that part.

"Yeah."

"…"

Not knowing what else to say, I continued to go over the day's events in my head while Hiro continued to carry me to the beach, which was now in sight. Remembering a thought I had earlier concerning Hiro KO'ing the Goon Leader, I gave the 18-year-old a congratulatory pat on the back. He turned his head to look at me out of the corner of his eyes once more.

"What are you doing?" He wanted to know.

"Just patting you on the back for a job well done." I replied, grinning toothily. Hiro gave me a Look, his awkward smile on his face.

"You are **so** weird." He commented.

I merely smiled and rested my head on Hiro's shoulder, a content sigh escaping my lips.

Okay, so maybe God **didn't** hate me after all. I mean, he DID send Hiro as a guardian angel to protect me. Maybe Kami-sama DID like me!

Just as I thought that, clouds that seemed to come from nowhere overtook the skies and rain poured down in buckets while lightning flashed and thunder boomed. We had FINALLY reached the beach just to have people running around everywhere and screaming, trying to get out of the rain.

"Crap!" I shouted, frustrated, above the noise as Hiro began to sprint in the direction of the summer house with me clinging to his neck and holding on for dear life.

Oh well. Guess I spoke too soon!

…

**Authoress' POV (FINALLY!)**

Sakura was sick. She was sure of it.

Ever since she and Hiro had returned to the summer house, with everyone else already there, she was feeling REALLY weird.

She sat in a chair, an ice pack wrapped around her right ankle, and watched as everyone jammed to the beat of the music that was playing on the boom box in the living room. Hiro was in a corner of the large room, discussing something with Saitoshi. He looked over to find Sakura staring at him, then smiled and waved. Sakura blinked and instantly smiled in return. Hiro returned to his conversation, and Sakura resumed staring at him, a faraway look in her eyes.

_Something's wrong with me…_ The Cherry Blossom Princess thought vaguely, her chocolate brown orbs stuck on Hiro's features. _My head is screaming at me to love Kenji, but what does my heart know that my head doesn't?_

_/Tsk. Is it THAT hard to figure out/_

_Eh? YOU AGAIN? I thought I got rid of you!_

_/Oh please. You can't get rid of me, I'm your conscience/_

_Ugh. I guess your right. So, what do you want? I don't hear from you for so long, and NOW you're bothering me by spouting off some nonsense?_

_/It's NOT nonsense! It's a question of your intelligence. /_

_NOW you're making fun of me?_

_/NO! God, listen! I have a friend down in the heart region who's been telling me things… /_

_What the hell? You ACTUALLY have conversations with other parts of my body?_

_/Of course! How ELSE do you think you can restrain yourself from breaking things every time you're mad/_

_Touché._

_/ANYWAY, my friend told me that there have been MAJOR changes going on with the heart. It's beating really fast when it's not supposed to, and this has been affecting the brain as well, causing you to think more about SOMEONE ELSE other than your boyfriend all the time. /_

_So?_

_/ 'SO'? Do you NOT get what I'm saying here/_

_Not really._

_/Ugh. It MEANS your feelings are CHANGING! That means that…Hey, are you listening/_

_Man, I just can't seem to get Hiro out of my head. Tell me, Conscience. You work in my brain. Why is that?_

_/ That's what I've been TRYING to tell you! A princess being saved by her knight in shining armor and living happily ever after mean anything to you/_

_No._

_/Really? With all the romance novels YOU read? Either you're really stupid, REALLY dense, or both. /_

_Hey! Can you PLEASE get to the point!_

_/Fine fine. Looks like I'm gonna have to spell it out for you anyways, even though the answer is OBVIOUS… /_

_SPIT IT OUT ALREADY!_

_/Hee. It's fun to make you mad. /_

_Grrr…_

_/Okay, calm down. Here's why: You have fallen head over heels for the Leafe Knight of Wind. /_

………_Hiro…?_

_/Yup. /_

"…AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!" Sakura laughed out loud suddenly. The music was up full blast, so it drowned out most of her laughter, but the sudden outburst was enough to grab Tenshi's attention, and she looked over from where she was dancing with Hiniku, Hitori, and Garnet, Gaki's little sister who was driven up to the summer home by her and Gaki's parents at her request. She was a 9-year-old little girl, with wild fire red hair and green eyes to match her mothers. She had heard about Sakura and her friends from her brother, and wanted to meet them herself. So far, she was having a good time. Garnet followed Tenshi's line of vision and stared at Sakura, still laughing and slapping her left knee in hilarity.

"I wonder what's so funny…" She said aloud.

"I'd like to know the same thing…" Tenshi agreed.

"That's silly." Sakura said to herself, once her guffaws subsided. "Me, have the hots for Hiro? No way! I mean, we HATED each other when we first met! There's no way I'd like him…even if he is sweet, and caring…and his looks really suit him…and he seems like a really cool person on the inside…and he has a knack for saving me…and that I'm entranced by his mysterious auburn eyes… Oh my Kami." Sakura's eyes widened in realization.

_My conscience is right…I HAVE fallen for him…that would explain why I've been feeling so weird around him…I LIKE him… WHY DOES GOD HATE ME!_

To ease her frustration, as always, Sakura yanked on her hair, gritting her teeth. _What the hell? How can I be in love with Kenji but still like Hiro at the same time? Jeez, why does love have to be so damn CONFUSING!_

Sakura felt a tap on her shoulder and nearly jumped through the ceiling. "W-what!" She yapped in surprise to Tenshi, who was standing behind her, grinning amusedly.

"I saw you pulling your hair. What are you frustrated about now?" The angelic teen glanced down at the ice pack wrapped around Sakura's ankle. "Does your ankle hurt THAT bad?" She asked, a concerned note in her voice. Sakura shook her head.

"Nah, it's better, actually. I think the swelling has gone down." She replied, observing her ankle. The ice pack certainly wasn't bulging off her leg like it was in the beginning, so that MUST be a good sign. Sakura looked back up to see Tenshi staring at her, that same knowing smirk from earlier on her face. Sakura stared back, annoyed with Tenshi's smirk.

"Did you want to say something, Onee-chan?" Sakura asked, signaling Tenshi to take Sakura's hand and lead her up the stairs to the bedroom they were to share for the whole weekend.

"Did we HAVE to come all the way up here? I have an injured ankle, in case you forgot!" Sakura complained, finally limping up the last few steps and catching up to Tenshi.

"Oh please, suck it up. Besides, you SAID the swelling had went down." Tenshi scoffed, closing the door behind her friend/sister and flopping down on one of the beds in the room. Sakura stared down at Tenshi, wondering why she had dragged her all the way up here.

"Well?" Sakura questioned, getting more annoyed by the second, as she watched Tenshi observing her nails, taking her sweet time.

"Hm? Oh yeah, I want to talk to you about something." Tenshi said, feigning forgetfulness to boost her innocence. Sakura looked at her suspiciously.

"What are you up to?" Tenshi blinked innocently.

"Why, nothing." She answered. "What makes you think I'm up to something?"

"One, because you're beating around the bush. Two, because I know you better then that. And Three, because you and I BOTH know your name is misleading. So spill, because your horns are starting to show." Sakura commented dryly, folding her arms in a no-nonsense way. Not being able to keep up appearances, Tenshi's face split into a wicked grin.

"I noticed that ever since you and Hiro got back that you guys have become **really **close. AND that you can't seem to take your eyes off him. What's up?" Tenshi demanded to know, her eyebrows raised in amusement. Sakura's face immediately flared up, but she stood her ground.

"Nothing happened. He just saved me from the stupid goons that attempted to attack me, that's all." Sakura insisted, staring down at the ground. Tenshi was not convinced.

"Oh c'mon, there's gotta be more to the story than that! Why don't you just admit it?"

"Admit what? There's nothing TO admit."

"Sakura…" Tenshi said in a singsong voice. "You know I know YOU better than that. You've been acting funny around Hiro, don't think I haven't noticed. It used to be this way with you around Kenji before he asked you out, which leads to only ONE conclusion…" Tenshi stood up and looked Sakura in the eye, a triumphant gleam in her mahogany orbs. "You, Sakura Petala, have a **crush** on Hiro!"

Sakura stood there, blinking at Tenshi, before she sighed and trudged over to the bed Tenshi was previously occupying, flopping down on it and laying back so she was staring at the ceiling.

"I guess there's no use in hiding it since it's pretty much obvious, huh?" She muttered. Tenshi stared wide-eyed at the new Pretear. When Sakura didn't get an answer, she lifted her head to look over at a gawking Tenshi. "…What? Were you expecting me to deny it?" Sakura asked.

"Actually, yes." Tenshi replied, sitting down next to Sakura. "You alright?" She asked concernedly. This "torn between two guys" thing couldn't be good for Sakura's health. Sakura sighed tiredly, the palms of her hands over her eyes.

"I don't know what to do, Tensh. The human heart is so complicated. How could I possibly feel the same way for two guys?" Sakura complained, turning over so her head and legs hung off the bed.

"Wow. You're in love with Hiro too?" Tenshi asked.

"No, of course not. I just started crushing on him." Sakura grumbled. "But if things keep going the way they are now…who knows." The African-American teen suddenly sat up, livid at the world. "You know, it was SO much easier to hate him when he was being an ass!" She declared. "Now that's he's gone from sour to sweet, I…" Sakura's bangs hid her eyes from view as she stared down at her lap, lost in thought.

Tenshi sat there with Sakura, feeling sorry for her best friend, when an idea struck her. As she sat there thinking the idea started to grow into a devious and well thought-out plan, and Tenshi smirked evilly.

"Hey Sakura." She said, causing The Cherry Blossom Princess to raise her head and peer curiously at Tenshi. "I've just had an idea. An AWFUL idea. I've just had a wonderfully AWFUL idea. And I think it'll make you feel better." Tenshi claimed, the corners of her mouth curling. Sakura's raised eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.

"Okaaay, ignoring the fact that you're quoting The Grinch, lay it on me." She ordered.

Tenshi and Sakura spent the next few minutes sitting on the bed, with Tenshi muttering her plans to Sakura in a low voice. Pretty soon, Sakura was wearing a smirk identical to Tenshi's.

"Oh, that is perfect." She complimented. "You're a genius, Tensh." Tenshi smiled in response.

"I know."

…

The rest of the day had whizzed by and nightfall came. THAT was when Tenshi's plan was supposed to take action. The word had gotten around to the other girls, and they simply adored the idea of being able to scare the crap out of the guys. As the Leafe Knights and Kai were in the living room, chatting about guy stuff, the girls retreated to Tenshi and Sakura's room, gathering props and going over the plan in detail.

"So, everyone's clear on what they're supposed to do?" Tenshi asked.

"Hai!" Sakura, Hitori, Hiniku, and Garnet nodded in affirmation.

"Good." Tenshi said, pulling out a scary movie from her bag she had brought to the summer home. "Time for Phase One of Operation: Prank Night."

"Yosh!" The others cheered.

The girls left Sakura and Tenshi's room and filed down the stairs, each wearing their own forms of sinister smirks. They reached the living room and Tenshi emerged with the tape in hand, signaling the girls to switch to "Innocent Mode."

"Hey! You guys wanna watch a scary movie?" Tenshi asked, waving the tape around. The guys looked up, surprised. No one had realized that the girls had left the room to get a scary movie, and they were all wearing identical smiles that made the guys shift uncomfortably. If they didn't know any better, the guys would be suspiciously aware that the girls were up to something.

They had NO IDEA how right they were…

…

"Man, that was a pretty good movie." Hiro commented, as the end credits flashed on the T.V. screen.

"Totally. You girls were just fighting the urge to scream, weren't ya?" Gaki questioned, ruffling his little sister's hair, who, in turn, bit one of his fingers.

"Nah, that movie pretty much made me wanna go to sleep." Hiniku replied, snuggling against Saitoshi. Sakura stood up, feigned a big yawn and stretched.

"Well, I'm gonna hit the sack. I'm really tired." She said, hiding a wink to the girls by yawning again, signaling the other girls to go into "Too Tired To Stand Mode."

"Yeah, me too." Tenshi said, getting up and following Sakura back to their room, both of them raising their eyebrows pointedly at Hitori and Hiniku.

"Gotta get my beauty sleep!" Hitori said, hopping up and kicking Hiro in the shin, who had muttered under his breath, "Lotta help that'll be."

"C'mon, Garnet, you look exhausted." Hiniku observed, taking the 9-year-old who was almost as tall as her by the hand. (**XD**) Hiniku had automatically taken a liking to Garnet, because she possessed the same fire Hiniku had.

"You guys should go to bed soon too. It's not good to stay up so late." Garnet threw over her shoulder as she followed Hiniku up to bed. Gaki scowled at her back.

"It's not like SHE has a right to talk, being 9 years old, but she DOES have a point." The Knight of Fire admitted. The others nodded in agreement and headed up to bed shortly after the girls. They knew this because they were all gathered in Sakura and Tenshi's room after stuffing pillows and junk under their blankets to make it look like they were sleeping, all gathered around a laptop in Garnet's lap, as she made cameras that were EVERYWHERE in the summer home zoom in on the unsuspecting guys as they headed for bed.

"This is SO cool." Sakura whispered, holding in the urge to squeal in fear of attracting the guy's attention. Hitori grinned.

"Normally, these cameras would only be used for security reasons, but Garnet, growing into the computer whiz that she is, was able to pull a few strings." Hiro's twin stated proudly, patting Garnet on the back. The 9-year-old grinned in spite of herself.

"This is what happens when you spend an entire summer with Uncle Kei." She explained. The cameras now showed that all the guys were now in their rooms; Hiro and Saitoshi to one room, Kato and Moki sharing the room next to that one, and Gaki, Himura and Shinta rooming together at the end of the hallway. They seemed pretty exhausted, because within a few minutes, they were out like lights.

"Okay, time for Phase 3." Tenshi declared, resisting the urge to cackle evilly. "Everyone got their props and walkie-talkies?"

"Yup." The group held up their bags of props and their walkie-talkies. Sakura's adrenaline was buzzing. She couldn't wait!

"Alright. Everyone take your positions. Garnet, I want you to stay hidden until I give you the signal. And from now on when we use these walkie-talkies, we are to refer to each other by code names, got it?" Tensh ordered, taking charge.

"Got it." Everyone replied.

"Good. Okay, Sakura, come with me, we have to set you up first. Good luck everyone!"

With that send-off, everyone left the room except Garnet, who was hidden in the closet, tapping away on the keyboard of her laptop. The girls silently made their way to where they were supposed to go, and got themselves ready to frighten the hell out of the guys.

_Boy, are THEY in for it! _ The girls thought together.

…

_Clang clang clang!_

A noise sounded somewhere from downstairs, slightly rousing Hiro from his sleep. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and glanced at the clock. 2:13 a.m. With a groan, he rolled over on his side, trying to go back to sleep. He had no such luck when he heard a noise again. Hiro sat back up, very grumpy that his sleep was being interrupted. He looked over to Saitoshi, who was sleeping like a baby. The Knight of Wind frowned.

_For the Knight of Sound, he is certainly immune to noise in his sleep._ Hiro observed, wondering to himself why that was. Deciding to ponder it later, he got up and started towards the stairs to see what the minor ruckus was about, not noticing the hall camera that was zooming in on his sleepy form.

"January to Cherry and Angel, over." Garnet muttered into her walkie-talkie, watching her laptop as Hiro got to the steps.

"Cherry and Angel, we read you loud and clear January, over." Came Tenshi's voice over the walkie-talkie.

"January to Cherry and Angel, Wind is making his way down the stairs, I repeat, Wind is gusting down the stairs."

"Cherry and Angel to January, copy that, we're almost done. Keep watching, over and out." Tenshi replied, suppressing the need to grin. Walkie-talkies were SO much fun. "Hold still, Saku." Tenshi commanded as she tightened the noose around Sakura's neck.

"Ow! Hey, I'm supposed to LOOK like I've been hanged, not BE hanged!" Sakura complained, smearing watery ketchup over her face and her clothes.

"Yeah, but we have to make it tight enough so it'll be convincing!" Tenshi grunted, finally satisfied with the way she had it. She stepped off the ladder and put it away. "Okay, I'm going back in. Scare his pants off, Saku!" Sakura grinned and gave Tenshi a thumbs up.

"Oh I will, believe me." She confirmed. And with that, Tenshi dashed out of the open garage and into the rain, just as Sakura's walkie-talkie crackled into life once more.

"January to Cherry, Wind is in the kitchen! I repeat, Wind is in the kitchen!" Garnet whispered furiously into her end of the line.

"Cherry to January, copy that, I'm ready. Cherry over and out." Sakura turned her walkie-talkie off for the time being and slipped it into her jeans pocket, grinning wickedly.

_This is where the fun starts. _She thought, and then let out a strangled scream.

…

"Hm…well, whatever that noise was, it's gone now…" Hiro muttered to himself, then turned, ready to go back up to bed when he heard an even stranger noise that came from the garage. "…What the hell was that?" The new Knight of Wind wondered to himself, turning back around and facing the garage, a curious frown on his face. A feeling of unease settled into the pit of his stomach, but he shrugged it off as lack of sleep, and made his way over to the window in the door that led into the garage.

Everything was dark, so he could barely see anything. _I'm sure the noise came from in here…_ He told himself, opening the door and stepping inside, letting the door slam shut carelessly behind him. He groped around the wall for a light switch, but found nothing. Silently cursing himself for not thinking to turn the light on before he stepped into the garage, he stumbled forward blindly, listening to the soft pitter-patter of something. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Hiro noticed that the pitter-patter sound was just the rain outside of the open garage vehicle door.

…_Wait a minute…wasn't the garage CLOSED when everyone went to bed…? _Hiro wondered, not being able to recall the garage ever being open that evening. Frowning, he shrugged his shoulders, deciding it wasn't anything to get so worked up about.

"Where's the damn garage door closer button?" Hiro muttered out loud, walking out of the garage to try and find the box where he would punch in a simple code and the garage would close automatically. As soon as his foot stepped out of the shelter of the pitch-black garage, lightning struck not to far away, and Hiro jumped, a grotesque sight catching his auburn eyes.

There, hanging from a noose tied tightly to the open garage door, was **Sakura**, blood splattered everywhere on her body, as if she'd been stabbed multiple times before being hung mercilessly from the garage door. Hiro's breath hitched in his throat. He couldn't breathe. The Knight of Wind stared at the body, horror-struck, as the lightning continued to strike and light up the ghastly scene, finally noticing that the pitter-patter noises he was hearing wasn't ONLY the rain, but the blood that was dripping from Sakura's corpse, forming a puddle under her.

"Oh my…" Hiro managed to choke out, before he started to scream his head off, dashing wildly back into the garage and through the door that led back into the house. When she could no longer hear Hiro's shouts of terror, Sakura burst into hysterics, untying the noose from around her neck and landing roughly on her feet, wincing a little since her ankle was still injured.

"Cherry to Female Warriors." Sakura said into her walkie-talkie after turning it on while she cleaned up the blood on the floor, using the line on the walkie-talkie that allowed her to communicate with everyone. "Mission Complete. Wind has successfully been scared shitless."

"Such language, Cherry!" Interrupted Tenshi's voice through the walkie-talkie. Sakura ignored her.

"I'm heading toward our gathering spot now." Sakura said, finished cleaning up the mess on the floor and she waltzed outside into the rain, flashlight in hand, and punched in the code she got from Hitori inside the box on the side of the wall, which made the garage door shut. "Good luck to the rest of you, and I'll see you outside. Cherry over and out!"

…

"Saitoshi! Damn it, Musika, WAKE UP! This is an emergency!" Hiro yelled, shaking Saitoshi violently. At the word "emergency", Saitoshi's eyes immediately sprang open, and he hopped out of bed, trying to rub the sleep out of his violet eyes.

"What is it? Is someone in danger?" Saitoshi asked urgently, when he caught sight of Hiro's pale face. "…Hiro, you look like you've seen a ghost." The Knight of Sound commented, frowning concernedly. "What's wrong…?" Hiro took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly.

"It…it's Sakura…" That was all Saitoshi needed to hear. Within minutes, he was in Kato and Moki's room, shaking them urgently awake, while Hiro went into Gaki, Himura and Shinta's room and snatched Gaki right out of his bed.

"Wha- Hey, I was sleeping!" Gaki complained as Hiro continued to drag him down the hallway to the stairs, Saitoshi close behind with a confused Kato and Moki in tow. "What's going on that you had to wake me up in the middle of the night?" Gaki finally managed to free his arm from Hiro's grasp, refusing to move any further. He wanted answers, and he wanted them now!

Hiro slowly turned to him, a haunting look in his eyes. "As we're standing here…" He began, his voice deathly quiet so Gaki, Moki, and Kato had to strain to hear him. "Sakura's CORPSE is hanging from the open garage door, leaking blood everywhere…" The Knights of Fire, Sound, Light and Ice's eyes widened considerably with every word Hiro uttered, and their faces paled to match Hiro's shade. They quickly ran past him towards the garage.

"Why the hell didn't you say so in the first place!" Moki shouted, his voice unnaturally high-pitched as he yanked opened the door that led inside the garage, with the other 4 piling in behind him. Kato raised his right hand and the metal ring around his middle finger flashed brightly, illuminating the entirety of the garage.

There was nothing there.

No corpse, no blood, nothing.

The damn garage wasn't even open!

Hiro had sounded the alarm for nothing.

Saitoshi, Kato, Gaki, and Moki all turned to glare incredulously at Hiro.

"Was this you're idea of a sick joke, Hiro?" Gaki demanded of him, VERY angry at the auburn hair and eyed "friend" of theirs.

"What were you THINKING, sending us off into a panic like that?" Kato interjected. Hiro gaped at the garage door, then turned to the others, who were impatiently waiting for an explanation.

"Wha-, no, I swear! Her body was hanging right there!" The Knight of Wind insisted, gesturing foolishly to the vacant air above their heads. Saitoshi walked over to his friend and placed a hand over his forehead, checking for a possible temperature.

"Hiro, are you sure you're not sick?" Saitoshi wanted to know. Hiro roughly pushed his hand away.

"I'm NOT sick."

"Then are you ON something?" Moki queried. Hiro glared fiercely at the 14-year-old, deciding not to dignify that question with an answer.

"She was THERE." He insisted once again, walking over to where Sakura's body should have been hanging, and stared up at the garage ceiling, as if expecting the corpse to fall from it. The others scoffed.

"Whatever, Hiro. You can sit in this garage with your delusions all night for all we care, but WE'RE going back to bed!" Kato said with finality, stopping the Light Leafe from flowing into his ring as he went back into the house with the others (except Hiro) in tow, leaving the garage pitch-black once again. Hiro scowled to him self, then found the button near the wall that opened the garage from the inside, and pressed it.

The garage slowly rattled open, making small clanging sounds as it went, which Hiro realized to be the noises that woke him from his much needed sleep. He stepped outside into the rain, looking this way and that for any signs of blood or a body. When he found nothing, his frustration grew, and he began to question what he saw.

_Was it just all in my head? Was the lightning just playing tricks on me…? _

The horrible image of blood dripping from Sakura's clothes and onto the floor still sent chills down his spine.

_No…it was too real for me to imagine it…and no matter what, I'm going to PROVE that I'm not insane!_

…

"The NERVE of that guy! Sending us into a frenzy when it was a cruel joke of his!" Kato ranted rather loudly, stomping up the stairs in a huff. Gaki and Moki grumbled their agreements while Saitoshi followed silently behind, gripping his chin thoughtfully.

"I dunno, you guys. Something doesn't add up. We know that Hiro doesn't really like to joke around, so why would he suddenly decide to now? And his fear was WAY too convincing…" Saitoshi pondered. Gaki paused and looked back at the new Leafe Knight of Sound.

"That is true…"

"So, d'you think we should check the girls' rooms?" Asked Moki. The four looked at each other.

"Well, you know, I mean, it wouldn't hurt to SEE, right? You know, just to make sure…?" Kato agreed, trying to keep his calm demeanor in place. So, as quietly as they could, Saitoshi, Gaki, Kato, and Moki crept back up the stairs towards the girls' rooms. Saitoshi went to check Hiniku and Garnet's room along with Gaki, Moki went to Hitori's room, and Kato went to Tenshi and Sakura's room.

(**A/N:** **Kato and Moki had an extensive fight over who would get to check Tenshi and Sakura's room, before they finally settled it over a game of Rock Paper Scissors. Kato won, apparently. XD** )

All boys proceeded with caution, for if they were found creeping around the girls' rooms, Kami KNOWS what hell they'd be put through. Each looked around, and saw big lumps in the girls' beds, which HAD to be their bodies.

"Hitori's asleep in here." Moki assured the others, closing the door behind him on the way out of Hiro's twin's room.

"So is Hiniku." Saitoshi confirmed.

"And Garnet." Gaki added, stepping out of their room.

"The Pretear's safe and sound in her bed." Kato said, leaving Sakura and Tenshi's room. "And my angelic love is-"

"Then we had nothing to worry about." Gaki concluded, bringing Kato's lovesick rant to a halt.

"Good. Let's go back to bed then." Saitoshi suggested, yawning as the boys followed behind him further down the hall to their rooms.

Now, had the boys been a little brighter then they were, they would have noticed that the lumps smothered in blankets weren't moving, ergo, they weren't breathing. If the boys were AVERAGELY smart, this fact would strike them as odd, and they would pull off the blankets to reveal that the girls were NOT in bed, and that something was up.

What's even MORE shameful is that Kato is the friggin' Leafe Knight of Light, and he failed to notice the small beam of light pouring from the crack of Sakura and Tenshi's closet in their room, where Garnet was still hidden, a sneaky smirk playing across her lips.

_Uncle Kei would have found me, but not Kato. Auntie Mayune's slowness must have seeped into his genes._ After the boys had gone up the hall, Garnet pulled out her walkie-talkie. "January to Female Warriors, all clear. Midget, you're up!"

…

"Midget to January, copy that…hey, who came up with these nick-names!" Hiniku demanded to know, standing on Saitoshi and Hiro's balcony in the rain, clad in a black cloak that was a little too big for her short stature. (**XD**)

"I did. Now shut up and do your job!" Came Sakura's commanding reply. Muttering under her breath about how she was NOT that short and how Sakura and the others were just meanie butts, Hiniku waited outside on Saitoshi's balcony until he entered the room and went to bed, with the intention of going back to sleep. She pushed her dripping wet bangs out of the way and quietly slipped into Saitoshi's room, pulling out a knife doused in watery ketchup from the folds of her cloak.

_I'm sorry sweetie, but this opportunity is just to good to pass up! _The fiery Asian thought in a silent apology.

Saitoshi yawned widely, smacking his lips as he rolled over to go back to sleep, when he saw a rather stout figure approach the foot of his bed, encased by shadows. Saitoshi stared at the figure, puzzled.

_Who the heck IS that? And why is he or she in my room…?_

Before Saitoshi got the chance to interrogate this mysterious being, lightning from the night's storm brightly flashed, and he caught sight of the bloody butcher knife slowly being raised over the figure's head, ready to plunge it into Saitoshi. The new Knight of Sound's eyes became huge saucers.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Saitoshi screamed, scrambling out of bed and running as fast as he could towards the door, crashing into it first before he gathered enough sense to open it and run down the stairs in a panic, still screaming his head off.

Hiniku cackled evilly and fled the scene of the crime, hopping off of Saitoshi's balcony and landing smoothly on her feet, with the intention of meeting up with Sakura. "Midget to Female Warriors, Mission Accomplished! Cherry, I'm heading your way! It's your turn Angel!"

…

"Angel to Midget, roger that." Tenshi whispered into her walkie-talkie as she precariously balanced herself on top of the chandelier hanging high above the floor below, wearing a long black cloak identical to Hiniku's. She watched in amusement as Saitoshi ran down the stairs, almost tripping over himself as he flew through the front door and headed towards the woods outside, screaming the whole time.

Kato, Moki, and Gaki emerged from their rooms, wearing similar bewildered expressions.

"What the hell is going on?" Gaki wanted to know, leaning against the stair railing, watching as Saitoshi's frightened form disappeared into the storm.

"We were just wondering the same thing." Kato explained, as he and Moki leaned on the rail as well. Another flash of lightning was seen, and the three Leafe Knights caught a glimpse of someone in a black cloak hanging from the chandelier.

"What the-" Moki started to say, before the figure hopped from the chandelier. Kato, Gaki, and Moki jumped back, and the cloaked figure landed on the railing, bringing into view a scythe covered in blood! Needless to say, this terrified the three immensely, and they ran shrieking out of the house, just as Saitoshi had. Tenshi had a good laugh about being able to scare the living daylights out of her two stalkers, the fished in her pocket for her walkie-talkie.

"Angel to Female Warriors, my task is complete, over. As soon as Twin completes her task, be in position for the grand finale!"

"Roger that!" Sakura, Hiniku, and Garnet all replied.

"Are you ready, Twin?" Tenshi asked.

"You know I am!" Came Hitori's excited reply, and the revving of an engine starting was heard in the background.

"Good. Keep it up, guys! We're only a few moments away from our ultimate blackmail!"

"Hai!"

…

"LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!" Moki shouted in the high-pitched voice he had used earlier when he was panicking. Gaki and Kato didn't need to be told twice as they all bum-rushed out of the house and ran into Hiro, who was still out in the rain, pondering on the garage door murder mystery. Without bothering to explain, they grabbed him and proceeded to tear into the woods, nearly hitting trees as they went.

"Whoa whoa WHOA! Hey, what's going on!" Hiro ranted, pulling away from his crazed comrades. They all looked back at him with equally frightened looks.

"THERE'S A KILLER IN THE HOUSE!" They all shouted at the same time, making Hiro slip into an anime fall.

"Uh…what the HELL are you all talking about?" He inquired, both of his eyebrows disappearing into his hairline.

"It's true. There is a killer in the house." Confirmed Saitoshi, who popped out from the bushes behind the group, nearly making them all have a heart attack.

"DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT!" Kato, Gaki and Moki shouted at Saitoshi, and Hiro sweatdropped.

"Sorry. I was hiding here because I heard footsteps. I just realized it was you guys a few minutes ago." Saitoshi apologized, his face ghostly pale.

" 'Hiding?' Wait a minute, just what exactly is going on here?" Hiro questioned, wanting to know what scared everyone so badly and made them so jumpy.

"Oh my gawd! We heard someone screaming, right?" Gaki started to explain. Saitoshi sweatdropped and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Eheheh…that was me." He admitted. "Someone in a black cloak managed to get into my room without me noticing, and was about to chop me into little pieces with a bloody butcher knife!" Moki's eyes widened.

"That's so weird! Someone in a black cloak who had a bloody scythe chased US out of the house!" He explained, as Gaki and Kato nodded vigorously to back him up. Hiro smirked and felt each of the four's foreheads.

"Are you guys SURE you're not sick? Or are ON something?" He mocked in revenge for the incident earlier. Saitoshi, Gaki, Moki, and Kato scowled at him.

"Very funny." Moki grumbled.

"This is serious though, guys!" Kato exclaimed.

"I know. If there's really a killer in the house…" Gaki started, and Saitoshi's violet orbs widened in sudden realization.

"Oh no! The girls are in danger!" The Knight of Sound cried, jumping to his feet in a panic.

"Damn!" Kato swore, ready to sprint back into the house and save Tenshi at all costs. "We have to protect the girls! The Pretear especially!"

"It's no use."

The Knights of Light, Ice, Fire, and Sound turned to look at Hiro, who was the only one still on the ground, his head lowered and hair surrounding it so they couldn't see his face.

"If there is indeed a killer in the house, then Sakura is already…"

"Oh…" Saitoshi tried to find the words to comfort his best friend, but couldn't find any. _Does this mean we have to look for a new Pretear…?_

Before anyone could supply the answer to his metal question, Saitoshi's ears picked up a buzzing sound not to far away.

"…Do you guys hear that?" Saitoshi whispered, as the buzzing sound grew louder. The others looked at him.

"Well gee, now do we ALL have power over Sound Leafe like you and your father, Saitoshi?" Kato asked sarcastically, still wanting to rush into the summer home and make a daring attempt to save his beloved Tenshi.

"No, it's getting louder. Listen." Saitoshi commanded, and they all fell silent. Pretty soon, Moki, Hiro, Gaki and Kato could hear it too. It grew from a soft buzzing sound to a loud revving sound, and the five whipped their heads this way and that, trying to identify where the sound was coming from.

"Whoa!" Saitoshi yelped, stumbling backwards and falling down on his butt, as he stared up at a figure before him. The others turned around and came face-to-face with a person in a hockey mask wielding a bloody chainsaw!

"AAAAHHHH! IT'S JASON!" The group of scared Leafe Knights shouted, running through the woods as "Jason" chased them, the chainsaw hacking away at anything that got in the way. The 5 managed to get out of the woods alive, and they sprinted towards the summer house, deciding they'd rather take their chances with a butcher knife and scythe than with a chainsaw. Hiro ran to the door first and ferociously yanked on the doorknob, but it wouldn't budge.

"We're locked out!" He yelled, making the others panic even more.

"Shit! What'll we do!" Gaki questioned, trying to break the door down.

"There's nothing we CAN do!" Kato concluded, watching in horror as "Jason" came into view. The boys huddled onto the doorstep as "Jason" came closer, chainsaw revving. Then the two murderers with the butcher knife and scythe joined the chainsaw-wielding killer, along with a zombie-looking person, her injured foot dragging behind her.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" Hiro, Gaki and Saitoshi screamed, hoping by some miracle that they would be saved, while Kato and Moki hugged each other, screaming "I WANT MY MOMMY!"

But just as the killers are about to attack, they suddenly burst into fits of uncontrollable laughter, clutching their sides and rolling around on the ground. The guys blinked. Were they missing something…?

"Uh…aren't you supposed to kill us now?" Saitoshi asked meekly. The killers dropped their weapons and pulled off their hoods/ masks to reveal Hitori (Jason), Tenshi, Hiniku, and Sakura.

"GOTCHA!" The girls shouted, then burst into another fit of giggles. The Leafe Knights of Wind, Sound, Fire, Light and Ice blinked again, then narrowed their eyes.

"Wait a minute…it was YOU GIRLS the whole time! This was all a prank?" Saitoshi asked incredulously, extremely ticked off that he didn't catch onto their little plot sooner.

"You bet! Did you get all that, Garnet?" Hiniku called to Garnet around the corner of the house. Gaki's little sister emerged, with a video camera in her hands, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Oh yeah. Every bit!" The 9-year-old confirmed.

"Sweet!" Hitori cheered, giving Garnet a high-five. Kato and Moki, finally realizing that they weren't going to be butchered, pushed each other away in disgust and gave the puppy-dog face to Tenshi.

"Um…Tenshi my love, y-you're not going to, uh, you know…show that tape to anyone?" Kato pleaded.

"Yeah, um, cuz you know, that'd be, like, embarrassing…" Moki added. Tenshi smirked at the two of them.

"Oh, of COURSE I won't show anyone." She said, her "gracious" mask in play. Kato and Moki's eyes became sparkly.

"Really?" They asked.

"Sure…unless you count sending the tape to Japan's Funniest Home Videos as showing everyone." Said Garnet, smirking along with the rest of the girls.

"WHAT!" The guys yelled.

"You are SUCH an evil little sister." Gaki grumbled in annoyance. Hiro walked over to Sakura and stared at her for a few seconds, making sure he wasn't dreaming and she was really alive.

"…So…you're okay, then?" He finally spoke, grabbing the temperamental teen's attention.

"Of course I'm okay." Sakura replied, smiling. Hiro let out a breath, not going unnoticed by Sakura.

"Good." He said…in a RELIEVED way?

"…Hiro…were you worried about me?" Sakura inquired, a puzzled look on her face.

Before Hiro had a chance to respond, a figure jumped from the roof and landed in front of the doorstep, where the guys (except Hiro) were still sitting.

"AAHHH!" The yelled, being caught off-guard. The figure turned out to be Kai, and the Leafe Knights relaxed once more.

"I heard screaming. What's going out here?" The Russian blader wanted to know, looking around at the scene.

"Oh nothing, Kai. We just pulled the ultimate pranks on the guys!" Tenshi exclaimed gleefully. Kai sighed and shook his head.

"Why am I not surprised?" He muttered, knowing fully well that Tenshi was famous for these kinds of pranks back in Kyoto.

Hiro, Saitoshi, Kato, Gaki and Moki all started to fume, silently vowing to get revenge for what the girls did to them that night, no matter what it took.

…

**A/N: WHOO! End of that EXTREMELY long chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I did typing it. XD Gomen ne, this chapter probably would have been up last month, but I went to Myrtle Beach for a week, and then got wrapped up in other things I had to do. Not to mention that school starts for me this month. X( NOO! Where did my summer go? (Is sad) So, I'm sorry, but I won't be able to update as often as I'd like. But I guess it's okay, since I got a whole bunch of pics from the Otakon in Baltimore! Did anyone else go? I was the nut job in black who yelled "OH MY GOD, IT'S ROXAS!" and glomped an unsuspecting dude dressed as Roxas. I think I scared him. XD Hmm, what revenge will the Leafe Knights get on the plotting girls in the next chapter? Review and then I'll show you! The more reviews, the faster I type! Review please!**

**-MuraSakura **


	10. Chapter 10: Spooky and Random Madness

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N: O.O Chapter 10….WOW. Seems like only yesterday that I started this fic… (Wipes away a tear)**

**Tenshi: … Saku-chan…it was LAST YEAR…**

**MuraSakura: Hush, I'm having a moment!**

**Hiro: Chapter 10, eh? Heh, that means you're getting OLD! I don't age that fast, since I'm a character in your fic.**

**MuraSakura: (Mouth twists into an evil smile) Oh, just you wait, Hiro. I have a WODERFULLY AWFUL idea planned…MWAHAHAHAHA!!!**

**Tenshi: Oh dear, we're all doomed.**

**Hiro: She sounded like you, for a second there…**

**Tenshi: Ah Shaddup and do the disclaimer, Baka Awayuki!!**

**Hiro: (Scoffs) You're not the authoress! Therefore, you're not the boss of me!**

**Tenshi: Ah, but I'm the BETA READER! Plus, Kai-kun will kick your butt if you don't listen to mesa…**

**Hiro: Pfft, he's a year younger than me, what can he-**

**Kai: (Glares)**

**Hiro: … The authoress of this fanfic DOES NOT own Pretear or its original characters in any way, shape or form. And, apparently, She cannot control her friends…or their creepy boyfriends.**

**MuraSakura: (Raises an eyebrow and smirks) Yeah I can. It's just more fun to watch YOU deal with them. XD**

**Hiro: … My life sucks… because the authoress owns me, the other OC's, and the plot of this story. T.T**

**MuraSakura: CORRECTION!!! Tenshi owns her own character, and same goes for Hiniku. I also do not own Kai and his awesomeness from Beyblade, sorry.**

**Hiro: Thank God!**

**MuraSakura: Ah, shut your pie hole! And now, there will be answers to reviews and then-drum roll please!**

**Tenshi: (Uses random drumsticks to pound on Hiro's thick head)**

**MuraSakura: XD Thank you, Tenshi-CHAPTER 10!!! WOOT! So, read on, beloved readers!!**

**Dreamgirllogan: Thanks; I'm glad you liked the comedy filler chapter a lot! And sorry, if you haven't read the note on my profile, my computer has crashed and died, and the only time I can update is when I'm over at Tenshi's house. T.T STUPID VIRUSES!!! Oh wow, a HiroxSakura coupling fan! O.O Well, you're gonna LOVE certain parts in this chapter. (Wink wink)**

**Tenshi Hikari: (Smirks evilly) That's the price you pay for being my best friend: You get tortured mercilessly. XD Thank you for reviewing! (For once!)**

**Cookie2718: Thanks; I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. But usually, the boys are pretty tough…when they know what they're up against. XD Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**AnimeLover3103: Well, I updated…and reviewed. XD Glad you liked it so much to review twice!**

**DaarkMonkey: Evil? Who, us? (Blinks innocently) Whatever could you be talking about? (Conceals a devious smirk behind a smile) Wow, so you think Hiniku and Garnet are the best, eh? (Tenshi: I FEEL UNLOVED!!! I HAVE NO FANS!!!) … (Sweatdrop) And the fact that I'M her best friend has no effect whatsoever. T.T Anyways, thank you for choosing my story to read until the end! **

**AND NOW, ON WITH THE CHAPPIE!!!

* * *

**

**Chapter 10: Spooky and Random Madness**

It was (finally) a quiet morning at the Awayuki summer house, and everyone was out for the day. Well…MOSTLY everyone.

A certain auburn hair and eyed 18-year-old was in the kitchen, washing the dishes left so graciously behind by everyone from breakfast. He was muttering under his breath, like he usually did when he wanted to gripe, but no one else was around.

"Dammit…why do I ALWAYS get the short end of the stick?? If Mom and Dad trust **Hitori** so much, why isn't SHE in here doing the stupid dishes?!"

Meanwhile, Sakura, whom everyone neglected to wake up for breakfast, finally managed to rouse herself and made her way down the stairs, scratching her head full of thick hair (which was pulled into a high ponytail) and yawning.

As she strode into the kitchen, she made a beeline for the fridge, glancing just briefly over at the sink to see a tall person with their auburn hair tied up into a ponytail.

"Hey Hitori-chan!" The sleepy Cherry Blossom Princess greeted as she pulled open the refrigerator door and spied a yogurt cup waiting inside. "Where's everyone else?" She questioned further, snagging a spoon from the drawer next to her. A giant anime vein appeared on Hiro's head as he whipped around, already reaching his maximum "Super Pissed" level.

"TSK! **HOW** many times do I have to tell you that I am NOT HITORI?!?!?" The irritated Knight of Wind suddenly exploded. Sakura, who was startled by the sudden outburst, jumped and nearly spilled yogurt all over herself. Slowly, the African-American teen turned around to (unwillingly) face the wrath of Hiro.

"Oh, HI Hiro! I'm sorry, it's just-er, I mean…uh…you-you have your hair tied back…" Sakura finished weakly. Hiro let out an irritated sigh.

"Yes. It's getting really long again, so I pulled it back so it wouldn't get in my way."

"Oh…I see…"

"…"

"Well…These dishes aren't gonna wash themselves…" Hiro finally said, turning back to the pile of dishes in the sink.

"Oh…okay, well…see you around, I guess…" Sakura replied, turning to leave, when yet ANOTHER voice in her head spoke up:

/_WHAT in the WORLD are you DOING?!?!/_

_Eh? Who the hell are you?_

_/You mean you don't KNOW?? Gosh, your conscience was right, you ARE slow/_

_OI!!!_

_/ANYWAAAYS, this is the voice of your heart speaking. And just WHAT are you doing?! You're passing up a chance to be ALONE with Hiro! THAT way, you'd be able to spend more time with him and figure out if you want him or Kenji/_

_OR, it could just CONFUSE me even MORE!_

_/ Tsk! Oh fine! **EXCUSE ME **for trying to help/_

_Yeah, well good riddance!!!_

Shaking her head, Sakura spun around to see if Hiro had noticed the inner battle raging within her. He was still busy with the giant pile of dishes. The 16-year-old Pretear frowned in concern.

…_Well, I just can't LEAVE him there…_

So, without a second thought, Sakura marched right over to where the wet dishes were, picked up a rag, and started drying. Hiro turned slowly towards Sakura, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" He wanted to know. Sakura gave him a look that said quite plainly "Are you STUPID?"

"What does it LOOK like I'm doing? You wash the dishes, then I'll dry them and put them away! Sound good?" The tora-like teen offered. Instead of being hid usual smug self and protesting that he didn't need any help, Hiro's features took on a pout that made Sakura's insides nearly turn to mush.

"How come YOU get the easy job, eh?" He complained playfully, splashing some suds on the temperamental teen, who squealed in protest.

"Because I say so!" Sakura shot back, smacking Hiro with the rag.

Yes, people, this little display CAN be classified as "flirting".

"Fine. I guess I **could **use a **little **help…" The 18-year-old admitted, FINALLY swallowing his pride. Sakura beamed at him in spite of herself and her feelings for Kenji.

"Well then, hop to it! Like you said, these dishes aren't gonna wash themselves- WHOA!"

Unfortunately for Sakura, she had overlooked the puddle of water that had mysteriously appeared on the kitchen floor. And of course, with her ankle still injured slightly, she twisted it the wrong way again, and slipped.

"AAAAAHHHH!!!" The Cherry Blossom Princess shrieked, the pile of dishes she was carrying flying up into the air. Hiro's eyes widened as he rushed forward.

It was like it all happened in slow motion. Sakura fell closer and closer towards the hard kitchen floor, her ankle throbbing in pain; Hiro lunging towards the temperamental teen, arms outstretched.

And then…

…_Did I get a concussion yet…? _Sakura wondered, always thinking the worst of situations. When she opened her chocolate brown orbs; however, she found herself unharmed.

The PROBLEM was that someone was under her. Hiro, to be exact. The Knight of Wind had caught her before she could injure herself any further, and as a result, had taken the worst of the fall. The dishes that had been thrown wildly in all the mishap were floating harmlessly nearby, thanks to Hiro's wind powers.

"Baka…why do you always get yourself into trouble like this?" Hiro demanded of the troublesome Sakura, his right eye wincing in pain, but nonetheless attempting a smile. Sakura turned a bright red and tried to look at anything but Hiro's face, but it was kind of hard, seeing as how his face was mere inches from hers…

Can you say: Déjà vu?

"Gomen…" She whispered shyly, some of the color in her cheeks receding as she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. What flustered her the most was that Hiro always stared at her with those unblinking auburn eyes, and she could barely read **half** the emotions that went through them. Suddenly, the 18-year-old smirked.

"Sakura-chan…" He whispered.

"Uh…yes?" Sakura answered him, her face flaring up once again at the "-chan" added at the end of her name.

"You have yogurt on your cheek." Hiro stated simply, using his thumb to brush it off Sakura's cheek and licking the yogurt off his thumb. Sakura's eyes widened as her mind went into overload.

_WAAAK!!! WHY DID HE DO THAT?!?! It was so…SO…_

Sakura was so flustered that she couldn't bring herself to finish the thought. Luckily, she was saved of the trouble of the door opening, and a very familiar group of people entered.

"Well well. We see YOU guys are busy." Said a certain Knight of Sound. Both the teens on the floors' faces went scarlet as Sakura jumped away from Hiro and pointed an accusing finger at Saitoshi.

"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK, YOU PERV!!! I SLIPPED ON SOME WATER ON THE FLOOR, AND HIRO WAS JUST BEING NICE AND CAUGHT ME!!! THAT'S **ALL**!!!" The temperamental teen swore, all the blood rushing to her face from humiliation. Just then, a loud voice rang out through the room.

"SAKURA MURASAKI PETALA!!!!" Tenshi has pushed her way through the crowd, and had knocked an unfortunate Hiniku into the next wall. "Did I hear right? You're water broke? YOU'RE PREGNANT?!?" The "angelic" teen accused, a scandalized look overtaking her features. Sakura's mouth dropped into an O.

"…I KNOW did NOT just say that…" The African-American teen responded, an agitated look in her eyes, signaling a warning for the star-obsessed teen to shut her mouth. Taking the hint, Tenshi stuck her nose in the air.

"Fine, I'll back off. But remember this, Sakura…"

"What?"

"…I think in duck." She said randomly. Then, Tenshi sauntered out of the room in what she apparently thought was a dignified manner.

A few seconds passed, as everyone in the kitchen stood in silence, sweat dropping heavily. Then:

"AAAAHHH!!!" CRASH! BOOM!

"…"

"HOW DID THIS WATER GET HERE?!?!" Yelled a stressed Tenshi from down the hall, and everyone suffered through an anime fall.

As Sakura got to her feet, shaking her head at Tenshi and the random things she tends to do, Hitori sidled up to the new Pretear, a sly look on her face.

"So, what WERE you and Hiro up to? You know, before you were…interrupted?" Asked Hiro's nosy twin. Sakura merely shrugged, refusing to be fazed by Hitori.

"Washing dishes." The Cherry Blossom Princess replied.

* * *

"Hmmm…" Hiniku hummed, sitting cross-legged on her bed, her eyes closed, appearing to be deep in thought.

"What's up, Hini-chan?" Garnet asked curiously, entering the room and staring at her "older sister."

"Ugh! I just can't figure them out!" Hiniku shouted exasperatedly, flopping down on the bed so that she hung upside-down off the edge of the bed.

"Ano…huh?" Garnet asked, wishing Hiniku to elaborate, for she did not yet fully understand "Hiniku-chat." Hiniku tumbled over and landed roughly onto the floor, muttering a soft "ow" before sitting upright and fixing Garnet with a confused, annoyed, and curious stare.

"Well, it may be just me, but lately, Saku-chan and Hiro-baka have been acting VEEERY strange…and I mean stranger than usual. Something's up."

"You think there may be something going on between the two?" Garnet asked, gripping her chin in a quizzical manner.

"Weeell…it's kinda hard to say. I mean, I know Saku has a boyfriend she's CRAZY about, and yet… ' their auras are incomplete'…Sakura's and Hiro's, I mean." Hiniku said, her fingers intertwined, imitating a character on a show she once was forced to watch with Tenshi and Sakura. Garnet looked at her strangely, but chose not to comment.

Then, a sneaky smile crossed Garnet's lips.

"You wanna go snoop so we can see what the deal is?" The red-head suggested, green eyes glinting mischievously. Hiniku's dark brown orbs widened.

"Excellent idea, my dear Garnet! I DO believe I'm rubbing off on you." Said Hiniku, wearing the same devious smirk as the 9-year-old.

* * *

"LET'S GO!! THE SHINDERU AND HONO INVESTIGATION SQUAD!!!" Hiniku and Garnet shouted, wearing cheesy detective outfits with matching hats, with Hiniku blowing on a pipe that produced bubbles. The others stared, but felt it was best not to comment on the situation, due to past experiences…

"Who shall we interrogate first, Chief?" Garnet asked, her laptop at the ready to take notes. Hiniku eyed the laptop as if it had just started shooting insults at her.

"What are you doing with that infernal contraption? You were supposed to use a notepad! It's more authentic to our outfits!" Hiniku ranted, gesturing towards their dorky hats and her pipe. Garnet frowned.

"Aw, notebooks are old hat! Besides, my handwriting is terrible. I wouldn't be able to read my own notes!" She explained. Hiniku sighed and rolled her eyes.

"FIIINE. Just be sure you type fast! Now…Suspect #1! Tenshi Tsukino-Petala!" Hiniku declared, spotting Tenshi a ways away on the beach they were occupying, prepping to set off fireworks in the evening sky. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a romantic orange glow upon the sea.

Kato and Moki were inching closer and closer towards Tenshi, who was staring out to sea, a far away look in her eyes. However, the stalkers quickly retreated when Kai sent them a warning glare from near Tenshi's side.

"TENSHI!!" Hiniku called, marching up to the unsuspecting star-obsessed teen and pointing at her in an accusing manner. "Where were YOU on the night of September 24?!"

"Er…that has nothing to do with our investigation, Chief." Garnet interjected, sweat dropping slightly. Hiniku blinked and regained her stature, blowing more bubbles out of her pipe.

"You're quite right, Watson. Sorry about that. Now…Tenshi, Sakura tells you EVERYTHING, correct?" Hiniku inquired.

"Uh…I'm pretty sure she does, yeah." Tenshi responded, wondering what the heck Hiniku and Garnet were up to.

"I see…write that down, Watson!" Hiniku ordered, and Garnet made a quick note on her laptop. "Alright then, then you should be able to tell me, Ms. Tenshi, if there's anything…**unusual** going on with Sakura?"

"You mean besides usual?" Tenshi asked innocently, and Hiniku sweatdropped.

"YES, besides usual! TALK!" The short Asian demanded, pointing her pipe menacingly in Tenshi's face. The 15-year-old gave her friend a "You have GOT to be kidding me" look and smacked the pipe out of her face. It went flying and, with a squawk, Hiniku dived for her precious pipe, succeeding in catching it and getting a mouthful of sand. Garnet applauded the spectacular performance as Hiniku spat the gritty substance out of her mouth.

"AHEM! AnyWAYS…what's going on with Sakura?? BESIDES the usual goofiness?" Hiniku asked in a nicer tone. Tenshi looked around shiftily.

"Okay…you wanna know the truth…?" Tenshi beckoned Hiniku closer, and the fiery Asian leaned over, allowing Tenshi to whisper into her ear: "She's PMSing!" Then with an almost maniacal cackle, Tenshi strode away, with a VERY disturbed looking Kai in her presence.

"…Well, SHE was unhelpful…DON'T write that Watson, it's irrelevant!" Hiniku spat at Garnet, who paused in mid-type, peering curiously over the top of her laptop.

"Are you sure?" She questioned. Hiniku paused for a few minutes.

"…Well…go ahead, write it down. Just in case…" Hiniku muttered, putting the pipe back in her mouth as Garnet typed feverishly to finish up the sentence.

"Aha! Suspect #2! Saitoshi Musika!" Hiniku declared, suddenly spotting her next victim. Saitoshi's earpiece glowed and he heard Hiniku approaching.

"We're interrogating your BOYFRIEND?" Garnet asked shrewdly, and Hiniku halted in mid-stride, her face turning a delicate shade of pink. She swiftly whipped around to face her partner in crime.

"SHH!!! His ears hear all…" Hiniku whispered dramatically, cautiously looking over her shoulder.

"I can hear you, Hiniku." Saitoshi informed his plotting girlfriend, striding up to the pair. Hiniku's face flushed a deeper red and Garnet grinned mischievously. "And what's this about an interrogation?" The Knight of Sound asked, gazing back and forth between Garnet and Hiniku quizzically.

"Um, well you see…Hiro and Sakura have just been acting so weird, and we can't figure out what they're up to! It's DRIVING ME UP THE WALL!!!" Hiniku shouted the last part just to show how frustrated she was. Saitoshi winced because his ears were sensitive to the noise, and Garnet inched away for fear of having Hiniku's rage taken out on her.

" 'Weird'? Weird how? Saitoshi wanted to know, for he had noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

"Just LOOK at them!" Hiniku ordered, gesturing wildly to Sakura and Hiro, whose current job was to gather all the fireworks and set them on the beach. Sakura seemed to be ranting to Hiro about him leaving her with all the work, for he was just sitting on the beach, seemingly taking a breather, while Sakura was carrying 8 boxes stacked precariously atop one another at the moment. Hiro had made a snide remark; Sakura became enraged and dropped all the boxes carelessly, pulling at her hair in frustration yet again.

Then, the unthinkable happened.

Hiro got up and embraced the fuming Sakura from behind, muttering something in her ear. Sakura calmed down immediately and blushed, leaning slightly back against Hiro's frame. Hiniku's, Garnet's, and Saitoshi's mouths dropped to the ground, and their eyes bugged out of their skulls.

"YOU SEE!!!! You can't tell me that THAT," She gestured towards Hiro and Sakura again, "Isn't strange!" Saitoshi's eyebrows rose into his ashen gray bangs.

"That IS odd…but Hiro never mentioned anything about his feelings about Sakura to ME…if he HAS any that is, you know that they've become friends recently."

"Really now?" Garnet murmured, who had been typing furiously ever since the three of them had witnessed that little scene between the new Pretear and the Knight of Wind. Hiniku frowned slightly.

"They have? Hmm…Sakura never mentioned that to **me**… This is VALUABLE INFORMATION! Do you have all that down, Watson??" Hiniku asked, looking over Garnet's shoulder at her notes.

"Roger!" Garnet beamed, and Hiniku nodded approvingly of the detail of the notes.

"Okay, we're good to go! Thanks for the info, Sai-kun!" Hiniku thanked the Knight of Sound, giving him a peck on the cheek before running off with Garnet to target their next suspect.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, HIRO AWAYUKI!!" Hiniku ordered, the bubble pipe in her mouth making her words slightly muffled. Hiro raised an eyebrow at the two, holding a box of fireworks in his arms.

"What's with the stupid outfits?" The Knight of Wind wanted to know. Hiniku looked as if she had been slapped.

"They are NOT stupid! We're in character!" The fiery Asian stated proudly, as Garnet nodded in agreement. "Now, let's cut to the cheese!"

"…Uh, Chief? It's 'Let's cut to the chase.'" Garnet corrected, having just got rid of the big sweat drop running down the side of her head.

"Oh yeah! That was the right word!" Hiniku suddenly remembered, and Hiro struggled violently to defy the laws of gravity so he wouldn't suffer through an anime fall.

"Uh, I'd LOVE to stay and chat, but I don't feel like having Sakura-chan yelling her head off at me, so…" Hiro explained, trying to escape before Hiniku's short form blocked his path.

"WAIT A DARN MINUTE, I SAY!!!" The short Asian yelled at the top of her lungs, and Hiro stared at her with a "What the heck is your PROBLEM?!" look. She paid Hiro no heed and proceeded with bombarding him with questions. "'Sakura-chan'?? Since WHEN have YOU called Sakura 'Sakura-chan'???" Hiro raised an eyebrow.

"Since when is it any of your business?" He retorted, trying to go around Hiniku, but she kept jumping in front of him.

"Why did you and Sakura decide to become friends all of a sudden?" She shot at him.

"Because we were tired of fighting with each other. And it's STILL nothing that concerns you!" The 18-year-old responded, an annoyed tone creeping into his voice.

"Well why wasn't **I** told about all of this??" The fiery Asian demanded, glaring furiously up at the Knight of Wind. Hiro let out a snarl of frustration and finally snapped and exploded.

"Well MAYBE it's because Sakura didn't think it was IMPORTANT enough to WASTE TIME TELLING YOU!!!"

Hiniku looked, once again, as if she had been slapped, only this time, with a spiked glove.

"…Are you trying to say…that Sakura doesn't think I'm important enough to even TALK to…?" The short Asian asked, failing to keep the hurt out of her voice. Before Hiro could respond, a shrill voice pierced through the beach's peace.

"HIRO BAKA AWAYUKI!!! IF I HAVE TO SCREAM AT YOU **ONE MORE TIME**, YOU ARE GONNA WAKE UP 12 YEARS LATER IN A HOSPITAL!!! BREATHING THROUGH A TUBE!!!" Shrieked Sakura's livid voice, as everyone on the beach covered his or her ears from the ultrasonic cry.

Hiro groaned and trudged over to where Sakura was, cursing the female race, ESPECIALLY the tora-like teenage girls and the annoying midget ones.

"I think she IS PMSing…" Garnet observed, but Hiniku was not listening.

_I can't believe it…Sakura doesn't care about me…NO WONDER I'M A MINOR CHARACTER!!! _Hiniku's thoughts cried. Garnet put a comforting hand on her "older sister's" arm.

"Aw, don't worry about Hiro. He's just a grouch, you know?" Garnet said, a firm fan in "Hiro bashing" when it was needed. Hiniku smiled weakly down at Garnet.

"Well yeah, I know…but what if what he said was true…?"

"Oh please, you know Hiro was just annoyed with you, that's all. When he gets annoyed, he gets rude. And when he gets rude…well, he is, as one would say, a loser!"

Hiniku raised her eyebrows at Garnet for using such a Tenshi-ish line, then giggled at how true it was.

(**A/N: I was typing THIS part of the chapter at Tenshi's house, and she happened to have some… "Interesting" output for what some of the characters should say or do, and I couldn't help but add it… Thanks a bunch, Tensh! A word of advice to the people reading this though: NEVER, EVER let Tenshi invite you over and let her get bored…If only you knew what was going on… and she just stole the keyboard…Tenshi: WEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I love Squishi! Squishi rocks my socks…but its lip-gloss T.T Alright Saku, (pulls out surgeon's mask) time for your bypass on your arm…(takes out Squishi) NYAHAHAHAHA! ISH! ISH! ISH! ISH!! A/N: (Anime fall) Ya SEE what I have to put with?! T.T Tenshi: STICK IT IN THE EYE! A/N: STOP IT!!!**)

"And if you don't believe me, why don't we just go ask Sakura ourselves?" Suggested the 9-year-old. Hiniku's face split into a miracle grin.

"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!!!" She cheered, glomping Garnet momentarily before sprinting off towards Sakura, a determined gleam in her eyes.

_That's how I'll find out whether you value my friendship, Sakura. I'll ask you, and if you answer me, I'll know…_

"SAKURA! I have to ask you a VERY important, Life or Death question…" Hiniku declared, earning the attention of everyone around Sakura at the moment. Sakura frowned slightly and tilted her head to the side.

"What's up, Hiniku-chan?" The Cherry Blossom Princess asked, a note of concern evident in her voice. Hiniku took a deep breath as Garnet stood beside her, laptop at the ready.

"Do you have a crush on Hiro?" Asked Hiniku point blank.

The different reactions were priceless.

Hitori's jaw dropped as she looked from Sakura to Hiro and back again, as did Moki and Kato.

Saitoshi, who was guzzling lemonade, spewed it out all over his self.

Himura and Shinta were innocently making sand castles, so they didn't care for what was going on at the moment, lost in their own little world.

Gaki burst out laughing and proceeded in falling down and rolling around in the sand in hilarity.

Hiro froze in placing a firecracker in the sand, and it slipped limply from his hand as he stared in bewilderment up at Sakura.

Kai sat on the beach next to a gaping Tenshi, not really caring where the conversation was going, whilst Tenshi, on the other hand, gritted her teeth in embarrassment for Sakura.

And lastly, Sakura stared at Hiniku, and then her eyes darted from everyone's faces to see their reactions, her chocolate brown orbs lingering for a moment more on Tenshi and Hiro's faces.

"Uh…LOOK! A DISTRACTION!!" The African-American shouted suddenly, pointing in a random direction, and while everyone but Kai and Tenshi looked, Sakura grabbed Hiniku by the arm and dragged her over by the docks.

"I'll be right back…" Tenshi informed Kai, who simply nodded, realizing this was a "HST" thing. (**A/N: "HST" thing stands for "Hiniku-Sakura-Tenshi" thing, for those select few who are slow on the uptake. XD**)

"Okay, WHAT were you THINKING when you, one, put THAT on," Sakura wanted to know, gesturing towards Hiniku's ridiculous outfit, "and TWO, when you asked me that **absurd** question in front of EVERYONE!!!" The new Pretear continued to rant, but Hiniku was not fazed.

"Don't change the subject! Answer my question!" The Asian insisted, wanting an answer…and wanting it NOW.

"Excuse me, but…WHAT THE CRAP IS YOUR PROBLEM, HINIKU?! WHY would you ask such a personal question if front of EVERYONE?! Even I'M not that inconsiderate!!!" Tenshi butted in, just having joined the conversation. "And Hiro was standing RIGHT THERE. Jeez…I think you'll have to confess to him the RIGHT way now, Saku…in light of recent events…"

Sakura groaned as if she were in pain. Hiniku's head whipped back and forth from Tenshi to Sakura, comprehension finally dawning on her.

"AHA! SO IT'S TRUE!! SAKURA REALLY DOES-"

"SHHHHH!!!" Sakura cried, clapping both her hands shut over Hiniku's vast mouth.

"Finally! She catches on!" Tenshi applauded mockingly, earning a glare from the miniature Asian as she bit Sakura's fingers. With a hiss, Sakura withdrew her injured digits, and Hiniku was able to speak freely.

"So you DID know about this whole thing, Tenshi!"

"Yes, of COURSE I knew. I'm Sakura's sister, duh!"

"Well, WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME?!"

"I dunno, I guess we forgot?" Tenshi responded, shrugging.

An arrow with the words "We forgot" etched into it in Japanese flew through the air from some random direction and stabbed Hiniku in the head.

"I AM UNLOVED!!!!" Hiniku shouted tearfully at the top of her lungs, and ran off towards the boardwalk.

"Oh Hiniku, wait!" Sakura called, when another short person's arm held her back.

It was Garnet.

"You go finish the fireworks. I'll take care of Hiniku." The 9-year-old said curtly, before treading towards the boardwalk. Sakura and Tenshi looked at each other and, casting one last worried glace over their shoulders, the sisters/friends trudged reluctantly back towards the awaiting group on the other side of the beach.

…

"Stupid Tenshi! Stupid Sakura! They never tell me ANYTHING!" Hiniku ranted to her self, sounding very much like a bratty child.

"You know, I'm at LEAST 6 years younger than you, and I'm more mature." Garnet informed the fiery Asian, sitting down next to her. Hiniku scowled reproachfully at the redhead.

"I am NOT in the mood to deal with your snide remarks right now, Garnet! As you can see, I'm a tad upset about finding out that the people I THOUGHT were my friends actually **hate** me!" She cried overdramatically. Garnet rolled her eyes.

"Oh get over yourself! That's not true and YOU know it." Gaki's little sister sniped, staring out at the others as they finally finished setting up the last of the fireworks.

"Oh yeah? Well how come I always learn about stuff at the last minute? Huh?" Hiniku queried, still sulking in her "emo corner."

"That's an easy one. Sakura and Tenshi just assume that you're smart enough to figure out what's going on without them telling you. They give you more credit than you deserve." Garnet replied, sending Hiniku a look that plainly told Hiniku that she thought her slow.

"OI!" Hiniku shouted in protest. Garnet merely giggled at her.

"Tenshi and Sakura DO NOT hate you. They love you to freakin' death, even I can see it in the way they tease you. You'll see…" The 9-year-old assured Hiniku, jumping off the boardwalk wood and running to rejoin the group. Hiniku watched her go, considering what she had said.

_Well, I suppose if Saku and Tensh DID hate me, they would have gotten rid of me a LONG TIME AGO… _The Asian thought, watching as Hitori pulled a box of matches out from her back pockets. Just then, as Hitori was ready to light a match, Sakura stopped her, looked in Hiniku's direction and cupped her hands over her mouth, just as the crowd plugged their ears.

"HINIKU-CHAN, GET YOU'RE BUTT OVER HERE!!! WE ARE ABSOLUTELY **NOT** STARTING THE FIRE WORKS WITHOUT YOU!!!!" Sakura's voice rang throughout the evening sky, and Hiniku couldn't help but hearing it.

A grin broke out onto her features as she shouted back in an equally loud voice, "I'M COMING!!!" and hopped off of the boardwalk, dashing towards her friends.

_Well, it may seem like I'm a minor character in this mess of a complicated fic, but I know now for sure that I play an important part in my friends' lives as they do in mine. I just hope that they'll stop calling me "Munchkin" soon!_

…

"ARGH!!! STUPID WIND!!!" Hitori cursed in frustration, for each match that she attempted to light ended up blowing out too early because of the suddenly chilly evening.

"AHEM!" Said Hiro, an aggravated look on his face.

"Oops. Sorry, forgot you were standing there." Hitori giggled and Hiro sweat dropped at his twin's air headedness.

"Well, what are we going to do now? We don't have any matches left!" Hiniku whined. Sakura thought for a second, then her face lit up as she turned to Gaki.

"Hey Gaki-kun…?"

"No." Gaki responded bluntly, his arms crossed. "This is our vacation, and I don't want to use my Leafe."

"Aw c'mon! PWEASE???" All the girls pleaded, flashing Gaki their deadly puppy dog eyes. Cracking under the pressure of their preciousness, Gaki finally caved.

"Alright, alright! But you owe me for this, all of ya!" Gaki proclaimed, and with a flick of his wrist, all the wicks at the ends of the fireworks were alight. Everyone hastily stepped back as the fireworks flew into the air, creating magnificent works of art in mid air. Tenshi feverishly rubbed her arms as she watched the fireworks display.

"Jeez, it got REAL cold all of a sudden!" The star-obsessed teen complained, when a jacket was draped silently around her shoulders. She looked up in slight alarm to find Kai behind her, resting his hands lightly on her shoulders, now jacketless so his muscular arms were perfectly visible. Tenshi smiled gratefully up at him and leaned into his comforting arms, at peace with the world.

"You feeling better, Hiniku-chan?" Saitoshi asked, hugging his beloved girlfriend close in case she wasn't. Hiniku giggled.

"Yes, I'm fine, Sai-kun. Thank you for worrying about me, though." The Asian said, and Saitoshi smiled warmly and gave her a peck on the lips. Hiniku then clambered onto Saitoshi's back to get a better view of the fireworks up above his head.

Sakura sat on the beach staring up at the darkened sky, a dazed looking her eyes. Hiro observed her quietly, sitting just a foot from her.

"…I'll bet you wish Kenji was here with you right now, eh?" He asked, smirking as Sakura snapped back to reality.

"Kenji who?" Sakura asked stupidly. Hiro quirked an eyebrow at her, and it took a few more seconds for her mouth to catch up with her brain. "OH! **That** Kenji!" The Cherry Blossom Princess suddenly realized, sweat dropping and rubbing the back of her head. "Well, yeah, I guess it would be nice to have him here…" Hiro raised an eyebrow yet again.

" 'You guess'?" He repeated, a quizzical note in his voice. Sakura looked away from the Knight of Wind and down at her lap.

"Well, I wouldn't want Kenji out here too much because he's sick… And I've just had so much on my mind lately, that I haven't really thought of him at all…" Sakura drew a spiral in the sand, her guilt canceling out her voice. Suddenly, she turned around to face Hiro.

"What about you? Wouldn't you want someone else to be here right now?" She suddenly interrogated. Hiro blinked and started up at the colorful sky, lost in thought.

"…Not really." He answered after a few seconds. "I mean, there is someone I'm looking for…but I have not the smallest piece of evidence if she's still alive or not." The 18-year-old's auburn eyes were tinged with sadness.

"…Tell me Hiro." Sakura began, her head tilted to the side and eyes squinted, as if straining to remember something. "This person the Princess of Darkness has captured…she was your girlfriend, wasn't she? The one you saw in the Demon Larvae's core shield? Keiko, I think her name was?" Hiro's eyes widened slightly; he was surprised that Sakura cared enough to actually remember.

"…Yeah. That was her. The thing is…she had already been with the Princess of Disaster before I knew about it, and I kinda broke her heart. That's what drove her off…" Hiro hung his head, his long auburn hair covering his face.

Sakura didn't press him for any more details.

Heck, she didn't even scold him for doing whatever it was he did to hurt Keiko like she normally would.

He was finally starting to open up to her more, and that was all that mattered.

She slid her right hand over Hiro's left, and he glanced over at her in a questioning manner. Sakura gave him a small but warm smile to show him that she understood; that she sympathized with him. Hiro stared at her for a few seconds, and then nodded, returning the small smile.

Tenshi and Hiniku were a few feet from each other, but they still saw the same scene right in front of them. They both flashed each other a sly grin. Hiro and Sakura were staring up at the spectacular show in the sky, with Hiro clasping Sakura hand in his.

Something flashing on her left hand made Sakura look down, and she spotted the birthstone ring Kenji had given her, the garnet glinting brightly in the light; the constant reminder that she belonged to Kenji. The 16-year-old tora-like female's eyes saddened slightly as she curled her left hand into a fist.

_Please forgive me for this treachery, Kenji. Just this once, please excuse my actions for tonight…

* * *

_

"Whew! What time is it?" Hiniku asked as she tromped over the threshold leading into the kitchen. Sakura, stepping in behind the petite Asian, glanced over at the glowing clock displayed on the microwave. 11:58, it read.

"Yawn. Ya know, it's pretty late. I think I'll go to bed." Garnet yawned, making her way over to the staircase, when Gaki stepped in front of her and picked her up.

"I don't think so, Little Sis. Don't you wanna stay up and hear **the scary story**??" He asked, only slightly annoyed at Garnet kicking him and her constant insisting of him putting her down. Two small but still visible devil horns punctured Tenshi's halo, and she turned to Gaki.

"A scary story, you say? Well, I've got just the story! You see, a bishop, a 10-year-old boy, and Michael Jackson walk into a jail house-"

"OKAY! Time to be silent now, Tenshi!" The African-American teen next to her suddenly cried out, covering Tenshi's mouth just in time. Saitoshi chuckled at the two and said,

"Sorry, but only the guys are telling the stories tonight."

"WHAT! That's no fun!" Hitori started to rant, pouting.

"Just get in the living room!" Hiro ordered, shoving his twin unceremoniously into the next room.

"This is stupid; count me out. I'll be outside training." The Russian blader said. And with a swish of his scarf, Kai was out the door.

"PARTY-POOPER!" Hiniku called after him just to annoy him.

Gradually, everyone began to make his or her way into the living room. In the dark, the girls took no notice of the malevolent grins starting to spread across the guys' faces.

_Yes…soon…soon we shall have our revenge…heh heh heh…_

"Ouch!"

Hiro blinked and snapped out of his thoughts. Apparently, he had been so absorbed in his "revenge plot" that he had ran smack-dab into Sakura, who, in turn, fell against the wall.

"Oh! Sorry…" The Leafe Knight of Wind hastily apologized, offering a hand to the Cherry Blossom Princess. She accepted it and, as she stood up, gave Hiro a weird look.

"You feeling alright, Hiro? It's not like you to run into someone without good reason." She commented. Hiro opened his mouth to retort angrily, but thought better of it and instead gave the 16-year-old a mysterious smirk.

"Oh, I'm quite well, thank you…" He answered, and passed by Sakura. The young Pretear felt a chilling sensation run down her spine as she caught sight of Hiro's expression illuminated by a sliver of moonlight pooling from a nearby window.

Whatever that smirk meant, she did NOT like it one bit.

Finally, the group was seated on the floor, and Kato suddenly pulled out a flashlight and handed it to Gaki.

"Once upon a time, on a night **just like this one**," The Leafe Knight of Fire started, and Hiniku, Tenshi, Sakura, Hitori, and Garnet yawned at the predictability of it all. "There were a group of teens around our age staying the weekend at a summer home-"

"BORING!!!" Tenshi shouted, muttered agreements reacting to her protest. Gaki glared at them all, and Kato took the flashlight back.

"My turn, you're not telling it right!" The Leafe Knight of Light proclaimed, and then he lowered the beam of light to under his chin, making him look ghastly.

"That dark and misty night, there was a maniacal killer on the loose. The teenagers had learned that he was in their area. They locked all the doors and windows. But it was too late, for the killer had already targeted them. His first objective: To shut off the power inside the house."

As soon as these words left Kato's mouth, his flashlight started to flicker. Frowning, the 16-year-old Knight of Light began to smack the flashlight against the palm of his hand.

"Huh. That's odd. Batteries must be dying." Kato got up and flicked the light switch on to go into the kitchen in search of new batteries, but nothing happened. Toggling the switch a few more times with no results, Kato finally gave up.

"Hitori-chan, do you remember the lights being this faulty the last time we were here? The power seems to be out."

A dead silence followed these words, until Hitori at last responded, "Um…I'm pretty sure a fuse must've blown or something…" The uncertainty in her voice made the others a bit uneasy, but Sakura's chocolate brown orbs were filled with skepticism.

_WAIT a minute…He's the flippin' Knight of Light, of COURSE the lights don't work! Kato is trying to scare us!_

Tenshi then spoke in a whisper to Sakura, "Ah, but its ELECTRICITY. Is electricity considered **power** or **light**?" Sakura sat there with a blank expression on her face, trying to decipher this code.

"…STOP SPEAKING IN TONGUES, CONFUCIOUS!!!" The Cherry Blossom Princess ranted, gripping her head in agony; she was not good at figuring out these kinds of things. Everyone stared at her and sweatdropped.

"Er…as I was SAYING," Kato continued, bringing the flashlight back down under his chin and adopting his gaunt look once more. "When the power went out, at first the teens thought that the circuit box had just blown a fuse. They sent someone down there to fix the box, believing all is well. They waited an hour. The lights never came back on…and the teen they sent down into the basement never came back…"

At that moment, Kato's flashlight went out completely. There was a sharp intake of breath from Sakura's right, and minutes later all the air was being crushed out of her lungs, as if a boa constrictor had somehow found its way inside of her body and began winding its way around her respiratory system.

"Ah geez. Hold on-" There was a loud thump, and the flashlight finally came back to life. He flashed it around the group to see the relieved faces of everyone…well, except for Sakura. She was now turning blue, and though the light was back on, Hiniku would NOT let go.

"Get-off-me!" The African-American female grunted, finally shoving the fiery Asian away.

"Well EXCUSE ME for being scared of the dark!" Hiniku cried, turning to cling to Saitoshi instead. Rolling her eyes, Sakura scanned the room for signs of any others that feared the dark as much as Hiniku…when her eyes fell upon an empty spot in the circle of teens and a few little ones sitting on the floor.

Wait a minute…who was missing from this picture…?

Then, it smacked Sakura straight across the face.

"Guys…" Sakura spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention. "Um…does anyone know where **Hiro** went all of a sudden…?" The tora-like teen asked, trying to keep the note of panic from entering her voice. Everyone glanced around, but the 18-year-old was nowhere to be seen.

"Eh…who knows, maybe he went to go try and fix the **circuit breaker** or something…" Gaki suggested, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. The girls exchanged looks, and the guys smirked inwardly.

_Everything is falling into place…_

"Oh well, guess he'll have to miss out. C'mon Kato, continue with the story." Saitoshi urged, barely concealing his own grin.

"Very well." The Knight of Light agreed, when Sakura so rudely interrupted.

"Wait, don't you think we should stop and look for Hiro? He's been gone for a while now…" The 16-year-old female claimed, getting to her feet.

"Oooh, is someone WORRIED?" Crooned the annoying Knight of Ice before Sakura kicked him in the shin: a habit she adopted from Tenshi.

"Aw, let's just finish the story first. My little brother will survive, Sakura. Don't you worry your pretty little head about it." Hitori "reassured" Sakura, waving the problem off like a gnat. Still not thoroughly convinced, the Cherry Blossom Princess sat back down nonetheless, a frown planted on her cocoa face.

"Well? Go on!" Tenshi ordered, and Kato smiled at her.

"Anything for YOU, Tenshi my love!" Kato sang, oblivious Tenshi's "If-Kai-Were-Here-Right-Now-You'd-Be-So-Dead" Look. He lowered his voice to a dramatic whisper, and everyone but the Knight of Sound had to lean in to hear him. "Now, with the lights out, pretty soon, the rest of the teens get picked off. One. By. One." The Leafe Knight of Light explained, aiming his flashlight at Tenshi, then Hitori, then Hiniku, and lastly Garnet.

"And then, there was one." Kato said, for some reason now aiming the flashlight at Sakura. "She figured that the killer had already gotten the rest of her friends, and before she could figure out what to do-"

Once again, the flashlight died. As Kato tried to get it to come back to life, there was a yelp from Hiniku's right. When the flashlight finally lit up again, Hiniku snatched it away from the 16-year-old Leafe Knight and aimed it to her right.

Saitoshi was nowhere to be seen.

"AAHH!!! WHERE DID SAITOSHI GO?!?!" Hiniku screamed, latching onto a semi-terrified, semi-annoyed Sakura once again.

"I don't know…" Little Himura spoke up, and he and Shinta started to look a bit tearful, not having the slightest idea of what was going on.

(**A/N: Aw, the poor things…XD** **Yes, I know I'm an evil authoress. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!! XD**)

"Um, is it just ME, or is anyone else feeling slight Déjà vu over all of this?" Tenshi asked, looking around for raised hands to make sure she wasn't the only one that thought so.

"Alright, what the heck is going on here!" Sakura demanded to know, directing the question at Kato and Gaki. There was something up, there HAD to be something up here.

"How should WE know?!" Gaki shouted back, sounding a little panicked himself.

"It's like the story's come to LIFE or something!!" Kato cried, and then he and Gaki let out screeches of terror as the flashlight went out once more. Kato loses his grip on the flashlight, and it rolls towards Moki. Not entirely sure what it was, Moki cautiously poked it. The flashlight flickered back to life when poked, and Moki seized it and aimed at the place where Gaki and Kato were supposed to be.

No trace of the two.

"Oh my God!" Hitori shrieked; she had now lost her nerve.

"What are we gonna do? WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO???" Garnet screamed; she too had reached her limit.

"Now c'mon everyone! This is NO reason to panic! This is all just a horrible coincidence! There is NO killer out to get us!" The Cherry Blossom Princess reassured the group, but her last sentence was drowned out by the sounds of high-pitched screaming. She wheeled around and grabbed the dropped flashlight from off of the floor and turned it on: Moki, Himura, and Shinta were all gone.

"…Okay, the guys MIGHT be disappearing, but that does NOT mean there is a killer in the room with us!" Sakura tried to confirm, but a scream from her left and the batteries of the flashlight finally dying out distracted her.

"TENSHI!!" Sakura and Hiniku cried together, before Hitori squealed in terror herself.

"EEEK!!"

"Oh no! Hitori!"

"AHH!!"

"HINIKU!!"

"AAACK!!!"

"GARNET!!!!"

Now realizing that she was now alone, in the **dark**, Sakura started to hyperventilate.

_Oh dear Kami…Everyone's **gone**…I'm the only one left…what am I gonna do?!?!_

…

Tenshi was shoved roughly into a dark room with only a single light beam shining down from the ceiling.

"Well THANKS FOR KIDNAPPING ME, YA SON OF A DORK!!!" She screeched at the locked door. From what she could make of the situation, she hadn't been dragged far, but she still didn't know exactly where the crap she was. Suddenly, a thick fog filled the room, and Tenshi hurriedly covered her mouth, just in case some horrible gas had just entered the room. When she was sure it was safe to breathe freely, the star-obsessed teen glanced around the room, trying to find an alternate escape route.

Just then, she noticed a figure standing off in the distance. A tall figure, with a long, billowing scarf…

"KAI!!! Thank goodness!" Tenshi called, relieved to finally see a person she knew, contrary to the past ten minutes. "You'll never believe this, but I was just kidnapped by some weirdo-" Tenshi reached out and grasped Kai's arm, but he jerked away violently.

"Don't touch me." He hissed. Tenshi took a step back, dumbstruck.

"W-what? Kai, I don't understand-"

"What's not to understand? I said don't touch me. Plain and simple." Tenshi looked as if she had just been slapped hard across the face and punched in the gut.

"B-but…Kai, what's wrong with you?" Kai turned his head to glare at Tenshi out of the corner of his eye, his crimson eyes ablaze.

"YOU'RE what's wrong with me. I can't stand the sight of you. It makes me sick." And with those harsh words, Kai turned and walked brusquely into the thickness of the fog. Tenshi said nothing. When Kai finally disappeared into the abyss, the 15-year-old fell to her knees; tears flowing freely down her rosy cheeks.

"Kai…why…?"

…

"OUCH!!! GET YOUR STINKIN' HANDS OFF ME!!" Hiniku shrieked in protest, and got her wish when she was shoved into a room, falling flat on her face and almost breaking her breaking her nose. "JERK!!" The fiery Asian shrilled, an angry vein threatening to burst in her temple.

Settling down just a tad, Hiniku finally noticed that she was in a VERY dark room. "Okay, I REALLY don't like this right now…" Hiniku muttered to herself. She took a step forward, then hurriedly stepped back again. But it was too late. She had aroused the creatures within.

All at once, creepy crawlers she could not see surrounded her. Hiniku wanted to scream, but was too terrified, for fear of the creatures crawling into her mouth. Slowly, the creepy crawlers made their way up Hiniku's legs, and she could feel the of their many legs, making the hairs at the back of her neck stand on end.

_I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!_ The freaked out Asian's thoughts screamed, as she shrieked bloody murder, the crawlers now close to her head…

…

"OW! HEY, MY FATHER IS **NOT** GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH THE WAY YOU ARE MAN-HANDLING ME, MISTER!!!"

Three guesses as to whom's being psychologically tortured next, people.

"Ack!" Hitori yelped, as her captor propelled her into a dark room. She huffed indignantly and picked herself up off the ground, dusting herself off.

"WELL…SOMEONE has an attitude problem…" The 18-year-old muttered to herself, when she noticed a beam of light shining down on a door not too far away. "Aha! A way out!" Hitori assumed, walking towards it. But before she could even reach out to touch the doorknob, loud voices from within resonated throughout the room.

Her nosy side awoken, Hitori got down on her knees and pressed her ear to the keyhole.

"I'm sick of it!" Cried a female voice.

"You're not the **only** one tired of it!" A male voice shouted back. Hitori's eyes widened in surprise and realization.

_Mom? Dad? What are they doing here? And what are they arguing about?_ She wanted to know, but more shouting made her silence her thoughts.

"-So ridiculous, I mean, why did we have to have TWO children?!" The female voice continued to complain.

_Ooh, is Hiro in trouble again??_ Hitori wondered, her famous devilish grin taking over her pale features.

" I **know**." Agreed the male voice. "Hiro was enough, but why did **HITORI **have to be born too?" The grin on Hitori's face slid right off.

"Gosh, sometimes, I wish Hitori was **never born**." Said the female voice. These words seemed to echo about the room, and Hitori sat there, dumbstruck.

What did she do to make her parents so angry? What had she said to cause her mother to say such terrible things?

Crystal tears streamed down the 18-year-old's face as she buried her face in her arms.

"…Mom…"

…

"AHH! Hey, I'm only 9 years old, you pedophile!!!" Garnet screeched, yet another victim to be forced into a dark room. Once the fiery redhead was done ranting at the door, she turned and found a single beam of light shining down on a computer. But, as Garnet realized that it wasn't just ANY computer, her ruby eyes swelled to the size of tennis balls.

"OH MY GOSH!!! It's the300 Megabyte/Pixel Processing Unit! COMPLETE with impenetrable SpyWare and **UNBREAKABLE** hardware!! Man, this thing isn't supposed to come out until I'm 14!!! …I wonder how it got **here**…"

Before Garnet had the time to contemplate this possibility, from somewhere out of the darkness, a rather large hammer was produced. Garnet frowned. Where the heck did THAT come from? But after a few minutes, the 9-year-old finally realized, shocked, what exactly the hammer was doing there…and what the bearer of the hammer was planning to do.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" She yelled, running towards the unknown computer in slow motion.

But it was too late.

With a sickening crack, the hammer successfully split the computer's monitor in two. As it continued to bash and destroy the precious computer, Garnet could do nothing but stand there, transfixed with horror.

"That computer…that precious, precious computer…POR QUE?!?!"

…

Meanwhile, back with a certain 16-year-old Pretear who was left all alone in the living room, was now rocking back and forward in a fetal position.

_My friends are gone…I'm all alone…the killer is coming after me next…I'm DONE for…_

Just then, a thought occurred to Sakura, and she sat up, a thoughtful frown on her face.

_Hold the phone…Last night; because we were extremely bored, the girls and I pulled the ultimate pranks on the guys, and EVEN managed to get **Japan's Most Funniest Home Videos** to air it! But now you're telling me that they were just trying to tell us an innocent scary story, and NOT get back at us AT ALL??? Something's VERY amiss here…and I don't like it **one bit**._

Finally wising up to the male group's little plot, the Cherry Blossom Princess began to develop a short but sweet revenge plan of her own.

A slight rustling behind her tipped Sakura off that she had company in the living room after all, and prepared herself for the biggest performance she would have to put on.

Suddenly, all the lights cut on, and the whole Leafe Knight crew, Hiro at the head of the bunch, stood before Sakura and shouted "SURPRISE!!!!!"

Sakura's eyes widened incredibly in surprise. She made a choking sound, as if something large and un-swallowable was lodged into her throat. Clutching at her chest, as if her heart were on fire, Sakura fell backwards, taking care not to hit her head too the floor.

At first, the guys just stood there, staring at Sakura's body, not entirely sure of what had just happened.

And then, they remembered.

"Sakura's Stress Syndrome!" Saitoshi suddenly shouted, (**A/N: Tenshi challenges you all to say that five times fast. :P**) jolting with realization, causing his glasses to go askew. Kato's eyes widened, and he rounded on Hiro.

"MURDERER!!! YOU KILLED SAKURA!!!" He screamed at Hiro, pointing an accusatory finger in the Leafe Knight of Wind's direction. Inside her head, Sakura smirked.

_Gotcha, suckers!_

Hiro blanched at the allegation, and then glared fiercely at the Leafe Knight of Light.

"Why is it MY fault?!"

"It was YOUR stupid revenge plot that caused all this!!"

"Well, you guys were dumb enough to go along with it too, remember??"

"Not us!! We didn't know what the heck you guys were up to, and you ended up scaring us half to death too!!!"

"Shut up, Moki! We didn't tell you, Himura or Shinta because we knew ONE of you would blab, and then the plan would be ruined!"

"Well, THAT wasn't nice…"

"Yeah! I almost cried!"

"See Hiro! You almost made Shinta cry! That's just **sick**."

"JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!!!"

_Um, HELLO-O? Dying Pretear on the floor here!!! _Sakura thought, trying her best to suppress an angry anime vein from popping in her temple. Suddenly, what sounded like a stampede rumbled down the staircase, and in entered four slightly paler-than-usual but nonetheless EXTREMELY ticked-off females. They stopped a few feet short of the males, but Hitori kept going, an "almost" insane glint in her auburn eyes.

"HIROOO!!!" She shrieked, her fist raised and at the ready.

"WHAT?!" Hiro screamed back as he wheeled around, already pretty much fed up with what was happening when-WHAM!!! The most unfortunate 18-year-old flew back into the next wall, slamming his head against the tough plaster. Oh, but Hitori wasn't done, oh no, she was FAR from done. Hitori sprinted towards her brother and pounced on him, wrapping her taloned hands around his thin neck and ringing it as if he were someone she loathed with every fiber in her being.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, HIRO?!? YOU PUT ME IN A ROOM WHERE A FAKE RECORDING OF OUR PARENTS IS PLAYING, WITH THEM WISHING I WAS NEVER BORN?!?! WHAT KIND OF SICK AND TWISTED FREAK **ARE** YOU?!? ARE YOU THAT FREAKY MICHAEL JACKSON LOOK-ALIKE FROM THAT NARUTO ANIME INSTEAD OF MY TWIN?!? HUH???"

Out of the blue, Tenshi yelled, "SASUKE IS HAWT! HE ROX MY SOX!!!" The rest of the group stared at her, and she blushed and shrunk back into the shadows, muttering, "Kai didn't hear that. NONE of you heard that…" It took all of Sakura's willpower not to burst into a fit of giggles right then and there.

Hiniku, who was starting to wonder where the tora-like female was, by chance, happened to spot her on the floor, apparently not breathing. Hiniku's sharp intake of breath drew attention to her, and she rounded on the Leafe Knights, her once dark brown eyes red with fire.

"WHICH ONE OF YOU KILLED SAKURA?!?!" The short Asian hissed, WAY beyond the point of calming down. Upon hearing this new piece of information, the girls all turned slowly towards the guys, their expressions blank, but the same fire in their eyes as Hiniku's.

"You WHAT?" They all deadpanned at the same time, which scared the crap out of the guys. Immediately, all the Leafe Knights pointed to Hiro.

"IT WAS HIS FAULT!!!" They all blamed, and this gave Hitori even MORE incentive to kick the crap out of her twin.

"YOU DID **WHAT**?!? DAMN YOU HIRO!! NOW THE WORLD IS SCREWED!!!" Hiro's suddenly banshee-ish twin continued to rant, baka slapping him mercilessly.

"Oh my gosh, I'm calling 911!" Tenshi exclaimed, whipping out her cell phone, ready to dial…until something of a twitch passed across Sakura's face. Curious, the star-obsessed teen kneeled down next to her friend/sister and stared at her for a full 30 seconds.

There it was again. That twitch. Sakura wasn't dead! She was playing possum!

A sly grin spread its way across the "angelic" teen's features, and she made her way over to Hiro, who was nearly unconscious from all the abuse dealt to him by his black belt of a sister.

(**A/N: Don'tcha think its just SAD? Hiro's the flipping Knight of Wind, and he's getting pwned by his sister!! XD**)

"Well Hiro, it seems the battery to my phone is dead, and we WON'T be able to call an ambulance anytime soon." Tenshi glowered down at the unsuspecting Hiro, and he inched backwards a bit, fearing what the angry sister of someone he unintentionally murdered would do to him.

"So, since YOU'RE the cause of all this, there is only ONE thing you can do to redeem yourself…" She continued, remarkably keeping a straight face as she gestured towards an unconscious Sakura.

"GIVE SAKURA MOUTH-TO-MOUTH!!! ONLY YOU CAN SAVE HER LIFE!!" The 15-year-old commanded dramatically.

Everyone's mouths fell open. Sakura twitched noticeably, but everyone was too busy staring at Tenshi to care.

_I am SO going to kill you when I get up, Tenshi…_ The 16-year-old thought murderously.

"…You're joking." Hiro finally replied, a slightly freaked out look adorning his features. The others had absolutely no idea what Tenshi was playing at, but the girls felt that it was worth a try.

"Yeah! Go over there and revive Sakura!" Garnet ordered, grabbing Hiro's left arm and yanking him towards Sakura.

"This is YOUR mess, now you have to fix it!!" Hiniku scolded, grasping Hiro's other arm and helping Garnet with the dragging.

"Oh c'mon, you CAN'T be serious!! GUYS!! A LITTLE help over here??" The Leafe Knight of Wind pleaded with the rest of his team. The guys took a step back, each wearing a "Yeah-Right-I-Don't-Think-So" Look on his face.

"Hey, we're not stupid enough to intervene, man. It's out of our hands." Gaki said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You're on your own, dude." Moki commented, his hands folded behind his head, with Himura and Shinta nodding their approval at his words. Hiro groaned, and, with one final push from Hitori, was bending over Sakura, ready (or not) to resuscitate her.

_Aw geez. Does EVERYONE have to be watching me do this?? _Hiro thought miserably, as he leaned down lower over Sakura's face. He was, once again, a few short inches away from her face, when the Cherry Blossom Princess' chocolate brown orbs flew open. Being caught off-guard, Hiro jerked his head back slightly, but not enough for Sakura not being able to reach him as she lashed out and socked him in the jaw.

"JERK!!!" Sakura shrieked, knocking Hiro away from her. As she stood up and dusted herself off, everyone was dumbstruck, except for Tenshi, who was literally rolling on the floor laughing. Sakura glared malevolently at her best friend/sister.

"What are YOU laughing at, Cave Troll?? I'm coming for YOU next!!!" The African-American teen growled, predictably pulling out Daddy Frying Pan and stalking towards Tenshi with it.

"Aw shiznits!!" Tenshi squealed as she ran away from the wrath of Petala as fast as she could. Kai, who had chosen a perfect moment to reenter the house from training, came in just in time to see Tenshi run past him. The star-obsessed teen backtracked a bit and flashed the Russian blader a bright grin.

"Hi Kai!" She chirped, even though she barely had enough air to breathe, with all the laughing and the running she did in the past 30 seconds.

"…Do I WANT to know what's going here?" Kai asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Uh, well you see, what happened was that the guys were trying to get back at us for all the mischief we caused last night, so they told us a scary story and then reenacted it, only we didn't know at the time, and then they kidnapped me and the others and put us in separate rooms and made us succumb to psychological torture, and for mine, and they had some son of a dork dress up as you and made you say awful things, and I was like, "WAAAH!!" an then-" As Tenshi babbled on and on, Kai seemed to manage to keep up with what she was saying…but judging by the expression on his face, he DID NOT like what he was hearing.

"Whoa whoa, back up for a second. Someone was trying to pose as ME?" The 17-year-old wanted Tenshi to verify. She nodded and put on a child-like pout.

"And they were so MEAN to mesa, Kai-kun…" The angelic teen informed him in her "innocently cute" voice. Kai scowled and started to crack his knuckles.

"Someone's gonna die tonight…" He snarled, striding off into the next room to sniff out the culprit, leaving Tenshi unprotected.

"WAIT, KAI!! I STILL NEED HELP!!!"

"GET BACK HERE, CAVE TROLL!!!"

"OH DIPPLE-DAPPLED FRANKENSTIEN MARSHMALLOWS!!! HEY, I'M BEING CHASED OVER HERE!!!"

"JUST STAY STILL AND IT'LL ALL BE OVER IN A COUPLE OF HOURS!!"

"**I'M **NOT A FAN OF YOUR THREATS OF WAKING UP SOME YEARS LATER BREATHING THROUGH A TUBE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!"

* * *

**A/N: That is FINALLY the ending of Filler Chapter Number 10! Sorry for the ridiculously long wait, but I can only go over to Tenshi's house every so often to type. By the way, you can blame her for the too-random moments that pop up throughout the chapter. HER ideas, and HER compy, not MINE! Anyways, sorry again for the wait, but until I get a new computer, that's the way it is. Now I'm going to bed! Good night and Happy Holidays!**

**-MuraSakura**


	11. Chapter 11: The Green Eyes of Jealousy

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N: …I know, I haven't updated in a while, my computer's busted, blah blah blah, excuse excuse excuse… but ANYWAYS, I'm typing my story up on this school computer, which I'm not entirely sure I should be doing. So BE GRATEFUL! **

**Hiro: Oh God, she's back again…**

**MuraSakura: URASAI! (Hits Hiro on the head w/ Daddy Frying Pan)**

**Hiro: …HA! (Has a helmet on) Don't you think I would've LEARNED by now??**

**MuraSakura: …(Kicks Hiro where the sun don't shine) Nyah! I win!**

**Hiro: (Falls over w/ a higher pitched voice) Damn you…**

**Tenshi: (whacks Hiro in the head) SUCH FOUL LANGUAGE!!**

**MuraSakura: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (Ahem) I DO NOT own Pretear in any way, shape, or form. That's Kaori Naruse and Junichi Saitou. But I DO own the OCs EXCEPT for Tenshi Hikari, and Hiniku Shinderu. Mishi-chan and Invisible Love own them. Kai Hiwatari is the property of Beyblade as well. Now back to the drama! ON WITH THE FIC!!! **

**Answers to Reviews:**

**Cookie2718: You're very welcome, I'm glad you liked it! And arigato gozaimazu to YOU for reviewing! (Bows)**

**Invisible Love: Hiya Hiniku! (Waves) Well, it wasn't exactly "soon", but it was a long chappie! I'm VERY glad you found nothing to complain about in the last chapter, 'Ku-chan. XD And what happened to that promise of YOU writing?? You've practically disappeared off the face of Fanfiction!**

**Firefairie93: Thanks a lot! I try to be humorous when I can. XD**

**Dreamgirllogan: OMG, I feel so bad! I always look forward to your reviews, and here I am, being a lazy authoress! Bad me! REVIEW PLEASE SO I CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF AGAIN! Stupid lazy bum I am…**

**Lady ElfDragon: (Blinks) Well, thank you very much! I like to think that my writing skills are a bit above average, but it's REALLY nice to hear so much praise every now and again…even if I DO become lazy because my Inspiration takes frequent un-planned leaves of absences. X ( (Tenshi: You have NO idea… -.-)**

**CHAPTER DEDICATION! This chapter is dedicated to all those who have added my humble fic to their favorites list, namely Cookie2718, Firefairie93, and Lady ElfDragon. ARIGATO!!! YOUR REVIEWS MAKE ME FEEL SO LOVED!!! (Glomps the fore-mentioned reviewers and drowns them in bishonen plushies.) Well, now that that's done with, it is time to OFICIALLY start the fic! YOSH! (Note: There are songs in this chapter. To enjoy the chapter fully, you'd probably want to listen to the songs while reading this fic. Just a suggestion!) **

**Chapter 11: The Green Eyes of Jealousy**

"WATER FLAIL!" Sakura cried, as she destroyed the 18th core of the 18th Demon Larvae for the 18th time that week. Like all the others, the Demon Larvae gave a loud cry, and then perished to ashes. Sighing heavily, the Cherry Blossom Princess touched down onto the ground and defused from Himura. Tenshi and Hiniku sprinted over to where they were hiding and joined the Leafe Knights crowding around Sakura.

"You alright, Saku-chan?" Hiniku asked concernedly, as Tenshi handed her sister/friend a bottle of water, which Sakura accepted gratefully. It took the 16-year-old a while to reply as she took a deep swig of water from the bottle; but when she finally swallowed, Sakura breathed,

"Yeah…"

"You sure? The knuckleheads aren't pushing you too hard?" Hitori butted in, her little comment earning her a glare from the elder Leafe Knights. Sakura giggled.

"Nah, I'm alright. But damn, what's with the mad rush of Demon Larvae as soon as we get back?! Ever since we left the summer house, it's been work, work, work, work, WORK!!!" The African-American female ranted in an exhausted and annoyed fashion.

"Such is the life of the Pretear. Sucks to be you, doesn't it, Saku?" Tenshi teased, and Sakura kicked at her, a vein pulsing in her temple.

"All I'm SAYING," the tora-like teen continued, shooting a resentful glare towards her so-called 'best friend', "Is that **when** the hell am I gonna get a BREAK?!"

"Heh, try to remember that we Leafe Knights have to work just as hard as **you** do, Sakura." Saitoshi reminded her, gesturing towards a panting Himura on the floor, with Shinta trying his best to fan his friend. Instantly feeling guilty for her selfish ways at the sight of Himura, Sakura kneeled down and hugged the 8-year-old Leafe Knight of Water.

"I'm sorry for pushing you so hard today, Himura-chan." The Cherry Blossom Princess apologized, holding him close, as if he were her own child. Himura smiled pleasantly and hugged Sakura back.

"Its okay, Sakura-nee-san. I'm a Leafe Knight too." Sakura cooed at Himura's tough cuteness and hugged him once again. Hiro watched the two with a soft look in his auburn eyes.

"She'd make a great mother…" Hiro said quietly to himself. Hitori heard him anyway.

"What does THAT mean, Hiro? Do you want to have children with SAKURA??" She questioned him (in a mercifully quiet voice.) Hiro's face flushed, and he rounded on his twin sister.

"That's NOT what I meant at ALL!" The embarrassed 18-year-old whispered furiously. "I was JUST SAYING."

"You **still** haven't answered my question though, Hiro." Teased Hitori, a mischievous grin spreading across her pale face. Hiro blushed even more, scowled, opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it again. Finally, he turned away from Hitori to gather his thoughts.

_I don't get it…why don't I just deny it? I don't wanna wind up married to **Sakura** of all people…do I? _

"Ah HA! I knew it! You're not sure HOW you feel about Sakura now, are you??" Hitori prodded further, a triumphant smirk on her face.

"Oh SHUT UP!! Damn the twin mind link…" The Leafe Knight of Wind cursed, walking away from Hitori to catch up with the rest of the group, who had already started walking back to the Awayuki Mansion, ready to call it a day.

* * *

"Minna-san, can I have your attention please?" Himeno called during dinner. Everyone immediately fell silent and turned obediently towards the head of the table, where Himeno and Hayate were seated. Himeno stood up and tucked a few locks of reddish-brown hair behind her ear, smiling broadly. "I am pleased to announce that the Ishikawa Cosmetics Group, a long-time rival of Awayuki Cosmetics Company, has finally decided to become our business partners!"

"That's great, Mom!" Hitori cheered amidst the loud applause. Himeno's smile brightened.

"Thanks. And to celebrate, I am throwing a ballroom dance party, and you're ALL invited!" At these words, Hiro gagged and spewed out his soda all over his self.

"You're joking…" Hiro said weakly, praying silently that his mother was not serious. Himeno's face suddenly took on a stern look.

"I'm **quite** serious about this, Hiro. And as my son and the step-grandson of Natsue, the leader of Awayuki Cosmetics Company, you are **required **to attend the ball. NO EXCUSES!!!" Himeno concluded in a shout, taking a fighting stance with a demonic gleam in her eyes, ready to crack Hiro's head in two like a ton of bricks. Hiro and his father sweatdropped, and Hitori smiled nervously at the rest of the table, as if to say "I'm sorry my mother is so psycho; our family has a lot of issues."

"Yes ma'am." Hiro finally muttered, looking down at his plate, his face burning with embarrassment. Almost instantly, Himeno's pleasant demeanor returned, and she smiled brightly at everyone else.

"Sheesh, talk about mood swings…" Hiniku murmured just loud enough for Tenshi and Sakura to hear, all three of them snickering at the comment.

"So, who's going to attend the party?" Hayate questioned. A certain black-haired green-eyed 17-year-old whom we haven't seen for the past 2 chapters (**XD**) grinned and wrapped an arm around Sakura's shoulders.

"Saku-chan and I will go. It'll be one of those rare occasions that I get to see you all dressed up." Kenji flirted, kissing his girlfriend lightly on the cheek. Blushing, Sakura gently pushed Kenji away.

"Easy there, buddy. We're in public." She reminded him.

"Pfft. That's never stopped you before…" Tenshi muttered, only to narrowly avoid a swing from Sakura and her Daddy Frying Pan. Feeling eyes on her, Sakura's curious chocolate brown orbs searched up and down the table to find the source. Her eyes fell upon Hiro, who was watching her with the most peculiar look in his auburn eyes.

_Eh? What's with Hiro all of a sudden…? _The Cherry Blossom Princess wondered to herself, raising an eyebrow slightly at his actions. Hiro started, and blushed deeply at being caught (once again) staring at Sakura. Yet, he didn't look away. A small, shy, almost adorable smile spread slowly across his face as he continued to gaze at Sakura. The tora-like teen's eyes widened as a burning sensation crept its way into her cheeks. Just a few weeks ago, Sakura would have found this gesture disturbing, and she would have hit the Knight of Wind for acting like such a freak. But now…

_Oh…Hiro, why are you staring at me like that? Please, don't…It makes it hard for me to look away… _Sakura's heart rate began to increase, and she suddenly felt woozy.

"Ungh…" The African-American female groaned, placing the head in the palm of her right hand and swaying just a bit.

"Sakura?" Kenji said, his voice raising in slight alarm, which of course caused several people at the dinner table's heads to swivel about to see what was going on. Not wishing to cause a scene, it took most of Sakura's effort to sit up straight and put on a smile.

"No, it's nothing, I'm fine. **Fine**." She stated with more emphasis, since Kenji showed every sign of objecting. Still not convinced, the 17-year-old looked around for the source of Sakura's distress, for he had seen her staring at something…or **someone.** His and the auburn eyes of Hiro met for a split second, and a fierce emerald flame ignited in Kenji's green irises as he glowered at the 18-year-old. Hiro only glared back half-heartedly, and then turned away, cradling his chin in his right hand while sighing to himself.

_Dammit, you idiot! What are you thinking?? She **already** has an "oh-so-wonderful" boyfriend…what would she want with you…? Er, that is, if you even LIKED her… _The Leafe Knight of Wind thought to himself. After a few seconds, Kenji finally gave up the attempt at trying to sear Hiro with his eyes, stole a worried glance at Sakura, and looked down at his own plate.

_I don't like this, _He thought, frowning deeply. _I don't like this AT ALL. That guy is slowly worming his way into Sakura's heart, I know it; I can **feel** it. Every time she's near him, every time she looks at him, every time she frikin **speaks **to him…I hate it. I hate that she pays so much attention to **him.** I hate…I hate…_**I_ HATE HIM. _**An invisible, yet powerful wave of darkness overtook the 17-year-old and he stood up abruptly, knocking over his dining chair in the process. Now the whole dining room was staring, even the maids. He had both his hands pressed over pressed over his face, as if suffering from a massive headache. Sakura, who was now over her brief "dizzy spell", stood up as well and placed a cautious hand on Kenji's right forearm, her cocoa face full of concern.

"Kenji…?" She asked somewhat timidly. The sound of Sakura's voice made Kenji look up. The Cherry Blossom Princess' eyes widened as she stared into Kenji's suddenly miasmic purple eyes. Slowly, the 17-year-old pulled away from Sakura's grasp, and said in a deep voice that did not belong to him:

"My head aches. I'm going to bed. Please do not disturb me." And, without the usual smile to his beloved, Kenji departed from the dining room, leaving an eerie silence in his wake. Himeno blinked multiple times, and tilted her head to the side.

"Ano…Sakura-chan? Is something the matter with Kenji-kun?"

"That wasn't Kenji." Sakura replied in a low voice, her back to everyone, staring at the double doors Kenji had just disappeared through.

"Eh? 'Not Kenji'? Who else COULD he be??" Hitori wanted to know. The African-American teen didn't hear her though; she was lost in the thoughts swirling in her head, the light in her brown eyes shifting from fear, hurt, and confusion.

_Whoa…Purple is and always will be my favorite color, but THAT shade of violet was…**frightening.** Who was that man? That look in his eyes…I didn't recognize him **at all.** And what the hell did he do with MY Kenji???_

* * *

"Ready?" Hitori asked, as she straightened the belt on her white hakama. 

"Girl, I was **born** ready!" Tenshi proclaimed, finishing up her leg stretching and taking a fighting stance. Hitori smiled, a mischievous glint in her auburn eyes.

"Very good." She said and, without warning, hurled a shiny, sharp and heavy object. Directed right at Tenshi! But the angelic teen was quick; she caught the sword flawlessly and effortlessly by the handle.

"Bewii? What's this?" The 15-year-old wanted to know, quirking an eyebrow. (**A/N: Spending a bit too much time with Kai, I see. XD**)

"Shiny, big and sharp sword." Hitori answered, pulling out her own blade of destruction. Tenshi sweatdropped.

"I KNOW what it is. But why do we need swords?" She questioned further, though she was pretty sure that, in the back of her mind, she already knew the answer…

"To spar, silly!" Hitori replied with a grin, as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe. Poor Tenshi then suffered through an anime fall.

"But I've never sparred with an actual **sword** before!" She blurted out. "The wooden shinai are my thing!" Hitori's pale face now bore an evil grin.

"What's wrong? You're not up for a new challenge? Are you **_CHICKEN_**???" And with that, Hitori broke out into a series of arm-flapping movements and clucking. That was enough to rouse Tenshi's pride into action, and she took on a defensive stance, her eyes brimming with determination.

"That's more like it." Hiro's twin said with a satisfied smirk, as she went on the offensive. With the alarming rate of a cheetah, the 18-year-old sped towards Tenshi, the excitement of the match fueling her footsteps. Letting out a yelp of surprise, Tenshi leapt out of the way just in time and met Hitori's assault head-on with her own blade. The clash of metal resulted in a deafening clang, yet Hiniku, Sakura, Kai, and the Leafe Knights (minus Hiro, who was off somewhere else…) did not flinch as they stared on, mesmerized by the fight. Hitori continued her relentless attack on Tenshi, and the angelic teen, faced with this new and difficult task, was becoming increasingly frustrated of trying to keep up by struggling. Just then, a voice that sounded all-too-familiar resonated within Tenshi's head.

_"C'mon Tensh! You can do this, I know you can! Beat Hitori! Or at least TIE with her! One of the two!" _

The star-obsessed teen looked over to where Sakura was watching. The African-American female gave her best friend an encouraging smile. But…her lips weren't moving. What's the problem with that, you ask? Well, when you hear people's voices in your head, and they are **not **talking, something's not right with this picture. However, before Tenshi could marvel over this strange phenomenon, Hiniku opened her mouth and her loud voice penetrated the room.

"TENSHI, LOOK OUT!!" She screeched.

"Bewii?" Tenshi looked around just in time to watch Hitori's blade swing down onto her. "AAAAAHHH!!" The star-obsessed teen shrieked, barely blocking the blow, but being pushed back against the wall.

"No where to run." Hitori drawled, smirking evilly and charging once again.

_"Tenshi! FOCUS!!" _Sakura's voice screamed within the angelic teen's head, and, finally, Tenshi managed to snap out of her stupor. With a focused cry, Tenshi met Hitori's attack head-on, and you could actually see sparks flying from both the clashing metal and the opponent's eyes. They continued to meet like that a few more times, Tenshi trying to knock Hitori's sword out of her grasp, and Hitori being too fast and blocking every swing.

_Okay, time to take it up a notch. I WON'T let Hitori and her stupid sword techniques beat me!!_ Tenshi's thoughts proclaimed, her determined fire blazing even brighter. Suddenly, the star-obsessed teen lashed out and kicked Hitori square in the gut, making the 18-year-old lose her breath. "Hey, you never said no kicking!" Tenshi said in her defense, swinging around behind Hitori to make her drop to the ground with a well-aimed Palm Heel Thrust. However, Hitori recovered quickly and spun around, using her leg to trip up the unsuspecting Tenshi. In her surprise, Tenshi quickly flipped over the kneeling Hitori's form and struck…

The next moment, Tenshi was on the ground, her sword a good 5 feet away. The angelic teen was now at Hitori's mercy, the menacing sword pointed straight at her heart. Hitori allowed a victorious and arrogant smirk to grace her features.

"Ha! A black belt, eh? If you **honestly** can't do any better, you might as well go back to being a white be-huh?" While she was speaking, Hitori's hair tie began to loosen, and finally, it came undone, letting her long auburn hair fall all the way down to her thighs. Sakura and company blinked excessively.

What had just happened here?

Slowly, Hitori kneeled down, placing her sword to the side, picked up her hair tie, and inspected it. It seemed that the hair tie had been cut clean through.

But how? Hitori looked over at Tenshi, who was smirking.

"Looks like I managed to get at least **one** hit in." The angelic teen boasted, when her right sleeve suddenly slid off her arm and onto the floor. "…" Hitori grinned.

"I guess I got in a hit too!" She stood up and held out a hand to Tenshi, helping the 15-year-old to her feet. "Great match, you **really **gave me a run for my money! Let's call it a tie, alright?" Hitori offered, shaking Tenshi's hand. Tenshi shook back, but another smirk was planted on her face.

"Sure, but how about a quick tie-breaker? This time, we play on MY terms." Hitori raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued.

"Oh? And what terms would those be?"

"You'll find out…" Tenshi said, still smirking and leading the way out of the training room, everyone else trooping behind her.

* * *

"DIE **DIE** **DIE** **DIE** **_DIEEEEEE_**!!!!" Screamed a certain ice-blue banged teen, as she mashed the buttons on her Playstation 2 controller, locked in a fierce battle against Hitori in **Soul Calibur III**. On the couch behind them, Sakura, Hiniku and Kai were seated, sweatdropping heavily.

"Okay, um, quick question: Who saw this coming?" Hiniku asked.

"Knowing Tenshi, who DIDN'T see this coming?" Kai replied, with an "Amen" from Sakura. A few more minutes of mindless button mashing ensued, and then…

"Oh my gosh…I won. I WON!!! IT'S A MIRACLE!!!!" Tenshi cried, and, in her enthusiasm, she started to do the Running Man. Himura burst out laughing at his foolish "older sister", and the rest of the Leafe Knights (except a still absent Hiro) just sweatdropped with comical looks on their faces. Hitori pouted.

"No fair, you knocked me out of the ring! Best 2 out of 3!"

"Um, 'Tori-chan, that's how you WIN Soul Calibur III! And YOU lost 2 out of 3 rounds in a row!" Tenshi informed Hiro's twin, not hesitating to boast her victory over the 18-year-old.

The taunting soon ceased; however, for Kenji had entered the living room. Everyone fell silent, recalling the episode that occurred last night, and how Sakura had stated that Kenji wasn't himself…they wondered what mayhem he would reap today. But Kenji didn't seem too hostile today. The 17-year-old's long black hair was out and all over his head, making him look like a black-maimed lion, and he was rubbing the sleepiness out of his jade green eyes as he yawned and stretched. The night before, Sakura had mentioned to Tenshi and Hiniku that, for some strange reason, Kenji's eyes were an unusual color of purple. Curious, Hiniku stood up from where she was sitting on the couch and sauntered up to Kenji, standing on tip-toe to stare into his eyes. Kenji merely blinked sleepily and confusedly at the fiery Asian.

"G'morning to you too, Hiniku-chan." The 17-year-old yawned, his drowsiness wearing away slowly.

"Um, actually, it's "Good Afternoon," Kenji-kun." Tenshi corrected him, jerking her thumb towards a near-by clock, which read 1:32.

"Meh, Konnichi wa, then." Kenji grumbled, seemingly not caring **what **time of day it was. He trudged over to the couch and stopped in front of Sakura, staring expectantly down at her. She merely stared back up at him, trying hard not to let her fear show.

"…Well?" Kenji spoke up at last. "Don't I get a hug from my sweet and beautiful girlfriend?" Tenshi and Hiniku mimed gagging behind Kenji, but the Cherry Blossom Princess paid them no heed. She smiled weakly up at Kenji and embraced him, but with less welcome than usual.

_Well, I guess it's safe to be around him today…for now…_ Sakura thought, as a playful smirk graced her features. She tugged on a strand of her boyfriend's hair.

"Koishii, did you get into a fight with a blender and lose before you went to bed?" Sakura chided.

Kenji smirked back, recognizing the playful tone in her voice. "Well, if you think it's so messy, why don't YOU fix it for me?" He challenged.

Sakura raised an eyebrow and ruffled her boyfriend's hair further. "Eh, I guess I COULD do something with it…but it'll **cost **you!" She teased.

Kenji pretended to pout. "Aww…well, how much are you charging?" He wanted to know.

Sakura grinned. "How much ya got?"

"Meh, I'm broke…" A devilish smile lit up Kenji's face as he brought Sakura closer to him and kissed her neck. "But I think we can arrange **something**…" Kenji whispered in his girlfriend's ear, a suggestive tone in his voice. Blushing, the 16-year-old nudged him in the stomach, and he backed away a bit.

"Perv." An embarrassed Sakura muttered, and Kenji grinned mischievously down at her.

"You know you like it…" He said.

"**_GET A ROOM_**!!!!" Tenshi finally shouted at the couple, and the room erupted into laughter. Kenji and Sakura flushed; it seemed they forgot they were in a room full of their friends. The African-American teen then hugged Kenji and stuck out her tongue at her friend/sister.

"Hey, I can kiss my boyfriend in public all I want!" She sassed and, just to prove her point, kissed the 17-year-old on the spot.

"Awwww!" Hiniku and Garnet cooed tauntingly, but the couple was too busy practically eating each other's faces to notice and/or care.

"Hitori, Mom wants us to-" Hitori's twin brother started as he entered the living room, but then he stopped short upon seeing the public display of affection taking place in the middle of the room. Recognizing the voice, Sakura abruptly broke the kiss and stared into Hiro's eyes, biting her lower lip in guilt. Kenji smirked triumphantly at the Knight of Wind, slipping a not-so-subtle arm around his girlfriend's waist. But Hiro's attention was on Sakura. He gave her yet another unreadable look, and then turned his attention to his sister.

"Mom wants us in the Dance Studio." He reported, and Hitori's eyes widened.

"The DANCE STUDIO?? Oh boy, THIS can't be good…" Hitori muttered to herself, standing up and reluctantly leading the way to the Dance Studio, with the equally fearful Leafe Knights in tow along with Kai, Tenshi, Hiniku, and Garnet. As Hiro turned to leave, Sakura looked up at Kenji and opened her mouth to say that she needed to go, when Kenji kissed her again…maybe a bit longer than necessary.

When they finally broke for air, Kenji said, "Go ahead and practice with Tenshi and them. I'm going into town. I found this really good doctor's office, and I promised them that I'd stop by again today."

"Okay." Sakura agreed, hugging her boyfriend goodbye. Once he left, the tora-like teen stepped out into the hallway, wondering where everyone else was, when she almost ran smack-dab (again) into Hiro.

"WHOA!" She yelped, jumping back at the Knight of Wind's sudden appearance. "Where'd YOU come from??"

"Blame my parents." Hiro retorted, giving Sakura a half smile before jerking his head towards the end of the hallway and starting to walk that way, which was a gesture for the 16-year-old to follow. As she trailed along behind him, Sakura shifted a bit uncomfortably. This silence was killing her. Should she talk to him? What should they talk about? Should she clear the air about…what just happened? Why should she? It wasn't as if she felt any guilt about it…right?

/_Pfft. Yeah you do. / _Her conscience spoke up at the most annoying time possible. / _You feel guilty because you LIKE him, remember?? _/

"Oh, SHUT UP!" Sakura burst out suddenly, and Hiro stopped to turn and shot her a "WTF?" look.

"You talking to the voices in your head again, Sakura-chan?" He inquired. Sakura blushed yet again at the "-chan" part added yet again, but she managed to glare at the 18-year-old.

"Quit mocking me." She warned. Hiro shrugged and continued to walk down the hallway. Sakura continued to follow him, her rage giving her courage to speak up.

"Uh, Hiro…" The new Knight of Wind stopped and turned around to fully face Sakura, a quizzical look in his auburn eyes.

"What is it?" He asked. Sakura's new-found courage suddenly left her again, and she was left with a dry mouth and nothing to say.

"Um…" She started, trying to find the right words. "Uh, what you saw back there…wasn't what you thought it was." She finished lamely, blushing, as she referred to Hiro walking in on her and Kenji's make-out fest. Hiro quirked an eyebrow.

"What wasn't what I thought it was??" The 18-year-old wanted to know, looking confused. Sakura blinked and blushed once more.

Great. She had just attempted to apologize for making out with her boyfriend in front of him (she's not sure why she feels she has to either), and he has no idea what she's talking about! At least, that's how it **seemed**…

"Uh, uh…nevermind!" The Cherry Blossom Princess cried out suddenly, running past Hiro to catch up with the others, too embarrassed to look Hiro in the eye anymore.

The 18-year-old let her run past and stared after her retreating form. A soft smile graced his features.

"She's such a goof…" He said to himself in a rather…**affectionate** manner, and then he too went on his way to the Dance Studio.

* * *

"Welcome to the Dance Studio!" Himeno greeted rather enthusiastically, as the group entered the vast room. The whole room was coated in mirrors, and the floor was a shiny type of wood, like the kind used for tap-dancing classes. "Now, I assume that NONE of our guests know how to ballroom dance. Correct me if I'm wrong…" Himeno paused, as if waiting for someone to raise their hand and claim they could ballroom dance six ways from Sunday. When no hands were shown, the former Pretear went on. "Okay. Well then, this whole afternoon will be dedicated to learning how to ballroom dance. The Leafe Knights, Hitori, Garnet and I know how to dance, so if you need help, just ask. Okay, partner up!"

Immediately, Hiniku latched onto Saitoshi's arm, though they both knew dancing together was going to be a difficult task due to Hiniku's "height issue." (**XD**) Kato and Moki began to squabble (once again) over which one of them would be Tenshi's dancing partner when Kai, who was a fast learner, sent them one of his "Go-Die-In-A-Hole" glares, and they scurried away quickly like two frightened rats. Garnet and Himura, being the sweet little kids that they are, wound up dancing together just for the fun of it, and Shinta spun cute little dizzy circles around them. Hitori and Gaki partnered up to present the proper technique to the other partners, and everyone tried their best to mimic what they were doing. Himeno put on some ballroom music to play, and she walked around and inspected the swirling dancers, once in a while stopping to give a few pointers to the beginners.

"Tsk, Sakura! You're late! I hope you won't be late for the banquet!" Himeno somewhat scolded as a breathless Sakura burst through the doors of the studio.

"Gomen…" Sakura bowed after catching her breath. "I got lost-"

"This is why you should've stayed with me." Hiro commented as he arrived through the doors. Sakura took a minute to glare at him, and then glanced around to see what was going on.

"Well, since you two are the only ones left, YOU can be partners!" The reddish-brown haired woman declared, smiling pleasantly. The tora-like teen's eyes widened.

"NANI??" She solicited, trying to make sure that she heard correctly. Rather than repeat herself, Himeno pushed the two together.

"Go on, Hiro!" Himeno urged her son. "Teach Sakura how to dance!"

"Alright alright…" Rolling his eyes, Hiro took Sakura's right hand in his and rested his left hand on her waist. Sakura gulped and kept her head down, trying desperately to copy the way Hiro's feet were moving. Once or twice, she accidentally stepped on Hiro's foot.

"Kuso! I'm sorry, Hiro!" She had apologized for the umpteenth time, as Himeno rushed off to get ice for Hiro's swollen toe. The 18-year-old grimaced, but managed to smile at the tora-like teen.

"It's okay. You're still learning." He responded with a reassuring tone. Sakura's face heated up once more as she stared at the floor, an embarrassed smile on her face. While floating by with Kai, Tenshi's head picked up a stray thought from Sakura.

_"Wow. Somehow, Hiro's sweeter to me now. I wonder what happened…" _As that thought entered her mind, Tenshi smirked.

_YOU happened to him, Saku. You're gonna have to realize this, one way or another…_

Kai stared down at Tenshi and, feeling his penetrating gaze, Tenshi turned to look up at him, her innocent smile in place.

"What's up, Kai-kun?" She queried. Kai tilted his head to the side slightly.

"…Just wondering what you're thinking about." He answered. Tenshi's smile brightened, but there was an air of mystery about it.

_If only you knew, Kai-kun. If only you knew…_

* * *

"Ah, the excitement of a banquet. You get to eat good food, meet new people, dance the night away…"

"(**CRASH**) AHHHH!!!"

"…And try to forget about the mayhem caused by banquet preparations." Hitori finished her mother's sentence, grinning, as Himeno sweatdropped at all the noise that was going on upstairs.

"How is it that three girls can make **so much noise** preparing for a simple banquet??" The reddish-brown haired woman wondered out loud. Hitori's grin grew wider.

"C'mon, Mom. Weren't YOU that reckless once before??" The 18-year-old asked, referring to the many stories Hayate had told Hiro and herself about their parent's teen years. Himeno sweatdropped once again.

"I wasn't THAT bad…"

"(**BOOM**) SAKURAAA!! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY EARRINGS?!?!"

"I DON'T HAVE THEM! CHECK WHERE YOU LEFT THEM!!!"

"I DID!! 50 TIMES!!!"

"WELL THEN, ASK THE SHORT ASIAN!!"

"(**SMASH**) STOP CALLING ME SHORT, DARN YOU!!!"

Even Hitori had to sweatdrop at the amount of noise those three were making two stories up. "Sheesh, I think you're right…"

The guys stood at the foot of the staircase, waiting patiently for the rest of the girls to get ready and go. Poor Saitoshi was starting to get a major headache from all the commotion though…

_Dear Kami, PLEASE just let them hurry up already! _The Knight of Sound thought, gritting his teeth and rubbing his throbbing temples.

"Having trouble coping?" Saitoshi blinked and looked up to find Kenji standing next to him, looking suave in his black tuxedo, and wearing a sympathetic grin. Saitoshi grimaced back.

"Well, I never knew Hiniku and her friends could be SO LOUD." He explained, cringing. Kenji laughed.

"Yeah, well that's NOTHING compared to when Sakura's pissed or excited about something. Trust me, it ain't pretty. But, when you've spent as much time as I have with her, you get used to it." Saitoshi smirked.

"Boy, do I feel sorry for you then." He teased, and Kenji playfully socked him in the arm. Just then, Hiro strode up. He too looked very dashing in his tux, and his normally wind-tossed hair was slicked back and pulled into a ponytail. He and Kenji glared at each other for a second, and then Kenji stalked off to go wait for Sakura at the end of the hallway.

"Jeez…remind me again why you two hate each other?" Saitoshi wanted to know, raising an eyebrow at his best friend. Hiro merely rolled his eyes at the Knight of Sound and chose not to reply.

"Oh look, here they come!" Hitori announced, and everyone turned their attention towards the top of the staircase. Hiniku made her way down first, wearing a beautiful flowing red gown that was layered with pink, yellow and orange, like the flames of an ember.

"Wow…" Saitoshi said, seemingly breathless. Hiniku's hair was down and flipped out at the end, making her look cute and perky.

She grinned up at the ashen-haired teen. "I know, I look fabulous." Slipping her arm through his, the two stepped out into the night and made their way to the next building over, where the party was being held.

Tenshi came floating down next. Kato and Moki positively **drooled **over the deep blue kimono-style dress she was wearing, complete (of course) with star designs and gold star accessories. Her long mahogany hair was pulled back into a bun, two blue chopsticks going through it as well. Tenshi's stalkers rushed forward to squabble over who would escort Tenshi to the ball when Kai stepped forward to save them the trouble. He offered his black-suited arm to Tenshi as a soft smile graced his…HE-LLO…triangle**-less** face. The star-obsessed teen smiled kindly back at him, and they were almost through the door before Tenshi realized an important piece was missing in this picture. Telling Kai she would be right back, she stomped over to the bottom of the staircase and yelled up: "SAKURA MURASAKI PETALA!!! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!!!" A loud groan was heard from somewhere near the top of the staircase.

"Do I HAVE to???" Sakura's voice whined.

Tenshi's glare grew darker. "Sakura, if you don't come down here RIGHT NOW, I'm gonna tell EVERYBODY your most recent secret!" A gasp was heard from the top of the staircase.

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! Jeez, YES Mom…"

Tenshi's face lit up in a victorious smirk as the hem of Sakura's dress appeared at the foot of the steps. As she made her way down the stairs, she kept her chocolate brown eyes locked onto the carpet passing under her feet. Which is why she didn't notice the way Hiro was staring at her as she descended from the staircase.

The African-American teen was dressed in a flowing and elegant light lavender-colored strapless dress that showed off her figure, with a blush pink cape clasped onto it that billowed out behind her. Tenshi and Hiniku had bought and forced the silver heels on her feet on her, and she only consented to wear them because she got to have the pretty silver jewelry they bought to match the heels. Her hair was half pulled up into a high ponytail, with the rest of it cascading around her shoulders.

_Whoa…Sakura cleans up good…REALLY good…_The 18-year-old found himself thinking, and he shook his head in an attempt to clear it of such thoughts.

It didn't work too well.

"Happy?" Sakura growled, glaring at her friend/sister for humiliating her this way. Sure, she liked the color, but did Tenshi and Hiniku HAVE to buy her a dress??? She HATED how she looked in dresses! But did her so-called "best friends" listen to a WORD of her protests? You guessed it: **NO**.

Tenshi's mischievous grin broadened. "Yup! …Though, I think someone ELSE is happier about it…" The angelic teen trailed off on purpose, nodding her head to Hiro. Sakura turned to look at him over her shoulder, and his face immediately went red. The Cherry Blossom Princess turned around fully to face Hiro, her hands clasped in front of her as she stared at the ground in an embarrassed silence, a blush creeping into her cheeks.

_Aw man…I REALLY hoped Hiro wouldn't see me like this! He's so used to seeing me in jeans; what's he gonna think of me turning all girly now?? _Sakura gritted her teeth in frustration, reminding herself to get back and Hiniku and Tenshi somehow, someday.

"Um…" Hiro finally decided to speak up, and Sakura glanced up at him expectantly. His face was still a bit red, but a soft look overtook his facial features. "You look…breath-taking, Sakura." He admitted truthfully, smiling just a bit. Sakura blinked and grinned back, finally loosening up.

"Well thank you, you look nice too, Hiro…" The tora-like teen walked carefully over to the Knight of Wind, trying not to fall flat on her face in her heels, and ruffled up his slicked-back hair. "But with your hair looking like that, you just don't look like you!" She finished smirking.

Hiro cringed and attempted to look annoyed with the 16-year-old before him. "Hey! Dad spent half a tub of gel trying to get my hair to lie flat!" He complained, but then half-grinned at Sakura. He hated his hair in the slicked-back fashion anyways. Sakura was about to retort when a strong arm snaked its way across her waist, and she was pulled into the broad chest of her boyfriend.

"Oof!" She yelped in surprise, and Kenji possessively held her.

"**There** you are. I've been waiting **forever**!" The black-haired teen ranted and, with a fierce glance at Hiro that shouted quite plainly, "**Stay AWAY from my girl…**" he whisked Sakura away into the night.

* * *

"Hello? Yes, this is Mrs. Awayuki…uh-huh…yes, wait what? Well, no, but…What do you MEAN you're canceling?!" Himeno shouted into her phone, getting strange looks from her guests, but she didn't care. Flipping loose strands of her reddish-brown hair out of her face, the former Pretear began to get a bit snippy with the unfortunate soul on the other end of the line.

"Listen, tonight is a **very important** night for me. If you don't show up, the whole thing will be absolutely ruined! …Well, you'd BETTER be sorry! …Yes, but that's STILL not good enough! Where in the _world_ am I supposed to find entertainment at such SHORT notice?! …Hello? Hello?? Oh, GREAT!!" She shrieked, grabbing the attention of Hiniku, Tenshi and Sakura, who were chatting and drinking punch by the snack table.

"Daijoubu desu ka, Himeno-san?" Sakura asked, a confused look etched into her features.

Himeno sighed harshly and ran a stressed hand through her hair. "The band I booked for tonight's show just called to say they've cancelled! Apparently, the lead singer got some weird food poisoning for microwaving a Starburst, or something stupid like that…" The girls before Himeno exchanged glances, silently thanking the good lord that they had always been caught when attempting that little experiment…

"So NOW we have no entertainment!" The former Pretear sighed again. Tenshi and Sakura exchanged looks once more and, with a slight nod from Sakura, Tenshi spoke up.

"Well, why don't Hiniku, Sakura and I perform?" She offered. Himeno's eyes widened.

"You can play instruments? Like in a band?" The girls made faces.

"No, but our pipes are pretty good." Hiniku promised, referring to their singing skills. Himeno's face lit up in a miracle grin as she hugged the three girls.

"Oh, thank you SO much! You guys have NO IDEA how much this means to me!!!" Himeno let go, her face suddenly serious again. "But, need I remind you, this is a **formal** banquet. So, nothing that has TOO much pop…alright?" The reddish-brown haired woman pleaded. The "HST" group exchanged glances yet again, and identical smiles lit their faces as they each held up two fingers to signal a "Scout's Honor."

"You have our word!" They recited together. Himeno let herself relax as she grinned yet again at the girls.

Poor Himeno.

Had she known Sakura, Tenshi and Hiniku just a _little_ bit better, she would have taken notice to the fact that their oath sounded **too** rehearsed; their smiles were **too** angelic…and the fact that all three of them had their left hands behind their backs, their index and middle fingers crossed.

If Himeno could read minds, she would know that when they made that vow, Tenshi, Hiniku, and Sakura were thinking "**_Psyche_**!" at the same time.

* * *

"Attention! Attention everyone!" Sakura called through the microphone, and the dance floor immediately fell silent.

"Did she really need the mic, with how loud she is?" Tenshi muttered under her breath to her Asian friend. The two shared a guilty fit of giggles, and Sakura shot them a pointed glare.

Rolling her eyes, she turned back to the crowd. "I'm sorry to say that tonight's entertainment could not make it."

There was an outcry of "awws" and disappointed muttering from the guests. At this point, Tenshi got into one of her eccentric moods and grabbed the mic.

"But fear not! WE, the HST Group, are filling in! And don't worry, we each have a shred of talent, so you won't be nauseated by our singing!" An appreciative chuckle went around the room at this comment. Hiniku then took the mic.

"And, for our first song, we've decided to sing "Future Girls" by Smile.dk!" The few in the room who knew the song cheered approvingly, and Himeno's eyes widened.

"I SAID no pop! You gave your word!" She hissed from backstage. Devilish grins spread across the plotting HST Group's faces.

"We had our fingers crossed!" They chorused together, sticking out their tongues. Before Himeno could storm up the stage and cancel the whole thing, Hitori obligingly started the music. Her mother groaned and slapped her forehead in a "Why Me?" fashion as Sakura, Hiniku and Tenshi took their places onstage.

"_We are the Future Girls!_

_Diamonds and castles, _

_Heroes, Kings and Pharaohs,_

_A world full of shiny stones and pearls._

_Times are now changing,_

_All of this means nothing,_

_In this crazy universe, _

_Cuz we're the Future Girls!_

_And we move round and round in circles,_

_Round and round again,_

_Cuz our mission is the Future,_

_And the Future never ends!_

_We are the Future Girls!_

_(Woah!)_

_The Future Girls!_

_(Oh-oh-oh!)_

_We are the Future Girls!_

_(Woah!)_

_And the Future never ends!_"

After Sakura was finished with her part, she stepped back and let Tenshi and Hiniku have their duet, with Tenshi singing the higher soprano part.

"_Space crew recruiters,_

_Data and computers,_

_All part of modern life on Earth._

_Faster and better,_

_Nothing lasts forever,_

_In this crazy universe, _

_Cuz we're the Future Girls!_

_And we move round and round in circles,_

_Round and round again, _

_Cuz our mission is the Future,_

_And the Future never ends!_

_We are the Future Girls!_

_(Woah!)_

_The Future Girls!_

_(Oh-oh-oh!)_

_We are the Future Girls!_

_(Woah!) _

_And the Future never ends!_

_We are the Future Girls!_

_(Woah!)_

_The Future Girls!_

_(Oh-oh-oh!)_

_We are the Future Girls!_

_(Woah!)_

_And the Future never ends!_

All three girls gathered around the mic to sing the last part of the song. So far, the crowd loved it, and even Himeno had to admit it.

"_Round and round in circles,_

_Round and round again,_

_Cuz our mission is the Future (future, future, future, future, future)…_"

While the techno beat was playing, Sakura and her friends braced themselves. They were about to get VERY dizzy. As the lyrics continued, they spun around like the music said.

"_And we move round and round in circles,_

_Round and round again,_

_Cuz our mission is the Future,_

_And the Future never ends!_

_We are the Future Girls!_

_(Woah!)_

_The Future Girls!_

_(Oh-oh-oh!) _

_We are the Future Girls!_

_(Woah!)_

_And the Future never ends!_

_**We are the Future Girls**!_"

The HST Group ended their song with a "Charlie's Angels" pose, Hiniku and Tenshi kneeling back-to-back with their hands positioned as pistols, and Sakura standing behind them, her "pistol" pointed towards the audience.

_And the crowd goes wild!! _Sakura thought, beaming, as the audience screamed persistently for an encore. Tenshi and Hiniku grinned victoriously at Sakura, and the three of them took a bow and stepped off the stage to dance the rest of the night away.

* * *

"This sucks."

Though it had been muttered, Saitoshi still picked up on the sentence uttered by Hiro a few feet away.

"What's your problem? Besides the usual stuff, that is." The Knight of Sound asked, approaching Hiro. The 18-year-old shot his best friend a look, and then returned his gaze to the ground.

"Mom's making me dance at the end of the ball."

"So? That's not so bad…"

Hiro had a rueful expression on his face. "On a SLOW song. With a GIRL. In front of EVERYONE."

"Oh…" Saitoshi cringed in sympathy for his friend; ever since Keiko disappeared, Hiro had been **completely **anti-social. Since the arrival of Sakura and company, however, he seemed to have opened up a bit more.

But that still didn't change the fact that having to do this sort of thing made him freeze up in agony.

"Well…do you see any girl here you'd like to dance with?" The ashen-haired teen asked, trying to lighten Hiro's burden. The 18-year-old gave Saitoshi a dry look, and Saitoshi took this as a 'no.' "Um, okay…how about Hitori?"

"EW. She's my SISTER, for Kami's sake!" Hiro growled at the violet-eyed teen, and Saitoshi rose his hands in a "Whoa, Nelly" fashion.

"Alright, alright, calm down. Um…how about I let you borrow Hiniku?"

"Excuse me? YOU may be fine with the height issue because you're in love with her, but I'm not, thank you." Hiro received a punch on the arm from the vengeful Saitoshi for that.

"Fine. What about Tenshi?"

"And have her violent-tempered Russian boyfriend murder me for no reason? Yeah right. Besides, she's too snippy."

Saitoshi rolled his eyes. "Beggars can't be choosers, you know."

"Who says I'm begging? I'd rather not be at this stupid party anyhow."

"Tsk. You should support your mother."

"Why can't I support her from my room at home?"

Saitoshi sighed. Sometimes Hiro was as stubborn as an ass, and there was no helping that.

"Okay. How about Sakura?"

At the mention of the certain new Pretear's name, Hiro's attention turned towards the stage, where when CD's of dancing music weren't playing, Sakura, Hiniku and Tenshi were lighting up the stage and shaking things up on occasion.

"…As if her psycho of a boyfriend would let me get anywhere near her…" The auburn-haired and eyed teen muttered bitterly, his eyes back on the ground.

"…Hiro…do I hear a note of **regret** in your voice? Do you WANT to dance with Sakura??" Saitoshi suddenly bombarded the Knight of Wind with questions, getting Hiro even more irritated by the second.

_What the hell is with Hitori and Saitoshi trying to match me up with **Sakura **all of a sudden???_

_'You like her…'_

Hiro blinked. Where did THAT thought come from?? He certainly didn't think it…

_'You like her…' _The voice in his head said again. The 18-year-old's face flushed, and he scowled for letting himself be caught so off-guard.

_Listen, you. _Hiro growled to the inside of his head, since he didn't have any other idea how to address the voice. _You don't know me. So HOW could possibly know how I feel about **ANYTHING??**_

The voice seemed to chuckle.

_'You're rather loud with your thoughts, Hiro, whether you realize it or not. And though you may not see it, they speak of your emotions LOUD and CLEAR. Whether you want to acknowledge those feelings is completely up to you.'_

The voice seemed to leave Hiro, and he was left to ponder its words.

Meanwhile, as she was walking down from the stage from singing yet another song with her two BFF's, Tenshi grinned.

_So, not only can I hear Sakura's thoughts, I can **also** hear and respond to thoughts regarding Sakura! I will NEVER cease to amaze myself! Oh yeah, Note to Self: Tell Sakura about these new-found powers somewhere in the near future. Ha! And she thought SHE was the only magical one of the family!_

* * *

Himeno watched as Sakura, Hitori and Garnet set up onstage. Sakura had come up to her earlier that night and requested to sing a song before the ball was over, and she had enlisted the piano skills of Hitori and the violin-playing of Garnet. When questioned on what song she wanted to sing, Sakura replied with a serious expression: "It's something I've wanted to get off my chest for awhile…"

_Hmm…I wonder what it could be…Guess I'll find out._ Himeno thought to herself as she waited backstage with Tenshi and Hiniku for the song to begin.

Sakura rested lightly against the piano, a mini microphone attached to her dress so she wouldn't have to hold a microphone the whole time. She gave Hitori a slight nod, and the 18-year-old began to strike the keys on the piano with precision, soon accompanied by Garnet on her violin. The African-American teen counted how many beats were left in her head until she performed, and when there were none left, she began to sing.

"_Story of my life,_

_Searching for the Right,_

_But it keeps avoiding me._

_Sorrow in my soul, _

_Cuz it seems that Wrong_

_Really loves my company._

_He's more than a man,_

_And this is more than love,_

_The reason that the sky is blue._

_But the clouds are rolling in,_

_Because I'm gone again,_

_And to him I just can't be true._

_And I know that he knows_

_I'm Unfaithful_

_And it kills him inside,_

_To know that I am happy with some other guy…_

_I can see him dying._

_I don't want to do this anymore,_

_I don't wanna be the reason why._

_Every time I walk out the door,_

_I see him die a little more inside._

_I don't wanna hurt him anymore,_

_I don't wanna take away his life…_

_I don't wanna be…_

_A murderer._"

While Sakura was singing the first verse, Hiro joined his mother and Sakura's friends backstage, watching Sakura perform.

_Her voice, usually so beautiful, is now filled with so much anguish. _He thought to himself, a sorrowful look in his eyes to see Sakura's suffering face out there, even if she was only doing it for added affect to the song. _I…I want to be the one to take her pain away. But, how do I do that…?_

Tenshi, who was right beside Hiro, heard all of his thoughts, and a devilish grin spread across her face.

_Here's how… _She silently answered him, and, when the end of the first verse and chorus of the song came, Tenshi shoved him onstage towards Sakura. The 18-year-old stumbled clumsily onto the stage, catching himself at the last minute to avoid kissing the floor of the stage. He WOULD have turned back and glowered fiercely at Tenshi, but found it hard to do that since 1.) Kai would see him and threaten to have him sleeping with the fishes, and 2.) The whole crowd and Sakura were staring at him, wondering why the heck he flew onto the stage so suddenly.

_Crap. How do I explain this one? _He wondered, gritting his teeth in frustration. _Stupid Tenshi!_

_'I heard that. And dance with her.' _Hiro's eyes widened. He was hearing voices again. Had he truly, FINALLY lost it??

_'No, I'm just here temporarily. Now dance with her!'_

The Knight of Wind frowned. _Fine, if it'll get you to go away…_

Sakura blinked confusedly as Hiro approached her, a hand outstretched and offered to her. An odd wave of Déjà vu struck her as she hesitantly placed her own hand in Hiro's. He began to dance with her, and Sakura, feeling like she was in a trance as she stared into Hiro's auburn eyes, continued to sing.

"_I feel it in the air,_

_As I'm doing my hair,_

_Preparing for another day._

_A kiss up on my cheek,_

_He's here reluctantly,_

_As if I'm gonna be out late._

_I say I won't be long,_

_Just hanging with the girls,_

_A lie I didn't have to tell…_

_Because we both know_

_Where I'm about to go._

_And we know it very well._

_Cuz I know that he knows_

_I'm Unfaithful,_

_And it kills him inside,_

_To know that I am happy _

_With some other guy…_

_I can see him dying._

_I don't wanna do this anymore,_

_I don't wanna be the reason why._

_And every time I walk out the door,_

_I see him die a little more inside._

_I don't wanna hurt him anymore,_

_I don't want to take away his life…_

_I don't wanna be…_

_A murderer._"

As she sang, Hiro spun her around so that her back was against his chest, and they danced that way for a while.

_She smells so good…_ Hiro found himself thinking hazily, as he inhaled the aroma from Sakura's neck.

"_Our love,_

_His trust,_

_I might as well take a gun_

_And put it to his head, _

_Get it over with…_

_I don't wanna do this…_

_Anymore…_"

_I don't know what to do… _Sakura found herself thinking as she sang. _I know I'm supposed to love Kenji and ONLY Kenji…but I'm falling fast and hard for Hiro. This is so bad that there's not even a word to describe how bad it is…but he's really warm… _Sakura sub-consciously snuggled closer to Hiro as they danced and she sang.

"_I don't wanna do this anymore,_

_I don't wanna be the reason why._

_And every time I walk out the door,_

_I see die him die a little more inside._

_And I don't wanna hurt him anymore,_

_I don't wanna take away his life…_

_I don't wanna be…_

**_A murderer._**"

As Sakura sang the last notes of the song, Hiro had turned her around once more to face him. She saw so many emotions running through his eyes, and inside, she felt the same, with her heart fitting to burst with how she was feeling right now. Without warning, the 18-year-old began to lean in, closing the space between him and the Cherry Blossom Princess. Sakura stood there frozen, unsure of what to do, unsure of herself.

_Oh no…_ She thought, biting her lower lip. _I **want** to kiss him. I don't want to move. What should I do…?_

And, for the first time that night, someone was able to answer her questions.

'_It isn't fair to Kenji.' _A voice said in Sakura's head that she was distinctly familiar with, but one she didn't recognize at the moment. _'Sort through your feelings first. Then choose who you want to be with.'_

This tidbit snapped Sakura out of her stupor, and she turned away from Hiro at the last millisecond.

_Whew. Close call. _Tenshi thought, as she and Hiniku watched with mildly surprised expressions as Hiro and Sakura slowly pulled away from each other onstage. The crowd burst into applause, and some were even crying from the bitter-sweetness of it all, but the two teens onstage didn't seem to be paying attention. Sakura opened her mouth, ready to say something to Hiro, it looked like, but she quickly shut it and changed her mind. With one last glance at the auburn-haired and eyed teen that he couldn't decipher (for once), the tora-like teen left the stage.

Hiro blinked stupidly for a second, and then he too vacated the stage, pondering to himself on what had just happened.

* * *

Sakura clutched at the fabric of her dress where her heart was pounding rapidly against her rib cage.

_Mou…I wish it would make up its mind so I wouldn't have to go through this agony… _Sakura thought bitterly, cursing her heart for putting her through so much misery, when she bumped into a hard chest.

"Oh, excuse-" She started to apologize, but then froze in mid-sentence upon catching sight of her boyfriend. Part of his black hair was over his pale face, hiding his left eye from view, as his right jade green eye was glowering somewhat fiercely down at the Cherry Blossom Princess.

"Kenji…" Sakura started timidly, wondering what on Earth was making Kenji look so angry. Her thoughts drifted back to her performance just a few minutes ago, the way Hiro had held her onstage, the way he almost kissed her…

Sakura's eyes widened with fear as her face flushed. Oh no. Kenji had been in the audience the whole time. **Kenji had been watching…**

Without warning, the 17-year-old grabbed Sakura's forearms and dragged her away from the dance floor and further into the building they were in. He pulled her into the first empty room he found and shut the door behind them. And then he stood there, with his back facing Sakura, his shoulders rising and falling with his heavy breathing. The 16-year-old stood in the middle of the room, illuminated by the moonlight pooling from the giant window in the room.

_What should I do…? _She wondered to herself, nervously twisting her birthstone ring on her finger. _Kenji's mad, I can tell. And it normally takes A LOT for him to get mad…Maybe I should try and calm him down._

The tora-like teen hesitantly approached the green-eyed teen, placing a gentle, loving hand on his shoulder.

"…Kenji…?" She called softly. This simple action caused Kenji to, quite frankly, **_snap._**

He smacked Sakura's hand away and roughly pushed her against a wall, making her gasp in surprise. Growling viciously, Kenji then took hold of Sakura's forearms and held them high over her head.

To Sakura's horror, Kenji's eyes had switched from his usual blazing green to malevolent purple again, leering at her and speaking in a booming, skin-crawling voice.

"**_Just what the HELL do you think you're doing with that guy??_**" He hissed, squeezing Sakura's forearms tightly so that her ring glinted in the moonlight. "**_You belong to ME!_**"

* * *

****

**A/N: Whoo, long chappie. GASP! Kenji's gone mad!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!**

**Hiro: I TOLD you he was off his rocker…**

**MuraSakura: Ah, shaddup, Hiro. So anyways, disregard the earlier Author's Note at the top of the screen, because I've had a new computer for about 3 months now. That's how long ago I started this chapter. O.O Oops. But anyways, YOU know the drill! REVIEW PLEASE!!! Not reviewing is cruel to me, because I NEED FEEDBACK! Is it good, is it bad? Are there things I can improve on? (Besides my procrastination problems?) Constructive criticism IS appreciated, for those who don't know! I wanna get better! So review and tell me what you thought! That is all. **

**P.S. I don't claim "Unfaithful" by Rihanna or "Future Girls" by Smile.dk**

**-MuraSakura**


	12. Chapter 12: THOS: Part 1

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary****: All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N****: WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO PLOTGPP: Chapter 12!**

**Hiro: ….**

**MuraSakura: …. (Pokes) What? You don't have anything smart to say this time, Hiro? Are you feeling alright?**

**Hiro: …I'm still in shock from the last chapter…**

**MuraSakura: Eh? Which part?**

**Hiro: (Blushes) Nevermind….**

**MuraSakura: EH?? Are you EMBARRASSED, Hiro??? OMG, WHERE IS MY CAMERA!!**

**Hiro: Shut up already!**

**Kenji: Um…the authoress of this fanfic doesn't own Pretear. She owns the plot and ALL the OC's except for Tenshi, owned by Mishi-chan, and Hiniku, property of Invisible Love. And Kai Hiwatari belongs to BeyBlade.**

**MuraSakura: O.O Kenji, where'd you come from? You're supposed to be being evil right now! And you NEVER do the disclaimer…**

**Tenshi: He's PMSing. He's allowed to have mood swings and do the unthinkable….at least, that's why I think he went berserko…. .'**

**Kenji: ….**

**MuraSakura: Um…Tenshi, I think you should go away now…before someone ends up getting hurt. Xo Okay, answer to reviews, and THEN the chappie!!! So no more yelling at me for leaving you with that cliffie! **

**Invisble Love: Um, excuse me, HOW many times have I thanked you for sharing an account with me now? HUH? So don't say my dedication was mean! I thank you and Tenshi probably every other chapter! I was just trying to give my OTHER faithful reviewers a turn. Jeez, so ungrateful. XP**

**Cookie2748: LOL. Thank YOU for the reviews! XD Sugar highs can be dangerous though...oO Or at least in Max's case, they are... XD**

**Lady ElfDragon: Arigato Gozaimasu! XD And don't worry, Sakura DOES get saved...though not by whom you might think. XP Read on!**

**Shadow C.: FINALLY! YOU REVIEW! XD Thank you very much, I try. And no, you are not allowed to pre-read. You have to be patient and wait like everyone else. Only Tenshi is allowed to beta...even though she tells me it was a pain to beta this one. XD Sorry, Tensh!**

**MistFairie93: Thank you! I'm glad you like it:D**

**Anime-Kunoichi:(Sweatdrop) Um, yeah...in case you haven't noticed, I have trouble updating fast. X( But I DO update! Otherwise, my beta would kill me. XO Anyways, please put up with my laziness, because I promise to update...eventually! XD**

**Dreamgirllogan: That's okay, I hardly come here either except to read for a bit and post. I'm glad you reviewed again and enjoyed the last chapter! I don't think ANYONE expected Kenji to snap. o.O Let's see what he does next. (Reads on) XD**

**Anime-Hime12: Hey, if you knew us in real life, you wouldn't be saying that the pranks we pulled were evil. We're MUCH worse in real life, especially Tenshi. XD Besides, boredom leads to plotting, so it was the boys' fault for letting Tenshi get bored. XD She's the one who came up with the whole thing, honest. XD**

**Okay, FIC time! Last time, I left you with the evil Kenji cliffie! (I swear, I had Torture-The-Cast Syndrom while I was typing this chapter. XD) Let's see what happens next! REAN ON, BELOVED REVIEWERS!**

**Chapter 12: The Horrors of Surprises: Part 1**

_The tora-like teen hesitantly approached the green-eyed teen, placing a gentle, loving hand on his shoulder._

_"… Kenji…?" She called softly. This simple action caused Kenji to, quite frankly, __**snap.**_

_He smacked Sakura's hand away and roughly pushed her against a wall, making her gasp in surprise. Growling viciously, Kenji then took hold of Sakura's forearms and held them high over her head._

_To Sakura's horror, Kenji's eyes had switched from his usual blazing green to malevolent purple again, leering at her and speaking in a booming, skin-crawling voice._

_"__**Just what the HELL do you think you're doing with that guy??**__" He hissed, squeezing Sakura's forearms tightly so that her ring glinted in the moonlight. "__**You belong to ME!**__"_

Sakura stared in fright up at her furious boyfriend, the shock rendering her speechless.

"_**WELL??**_" Kenji growled again, gripping Sakura's forearms so tightly that his nails began to dig into her flesh. The 16-year-old bit her lower lip in pain.

"I… I don't understand…" Sakura managed to choke out, wincing as her voice broke in fear. "Why are you so angry with me? What did I do??"

Kenji snarled and leaned in towards Sakura further, his purple eyes ablaze with fury.

"_**As if you didn't know…**_" He spat, his tone making an involuntary shiver of fear run down the African-American female's spine. "_**I saw you up there with him, he was ALL OVER you! You were LETTING him **__**TOUCH YOU**_"

Despite her obvious fear, Sakura managed a bit of pride. "So? We were DANCING, Kenji, that's ALL. WHY are you overreacting??" She demanded to know. Kenji's eyes widened slightly in anger, and then he yanked Sakura's forearms upward so that her arms were aching from being pulled so hard. The Cherry Blossom Princess cringed.

"_**Overreacting? OVERREACTING??? Sakura, I **__**HATE**__** THAT GUY!!!**_" The psycho-sounding 17-year-old roared, and all will to fight back suddenly left Sakura. "_**HOW you could even THINK to breathe the same air as him all the time is COMPLETELY beyond me!**_"

"Why…? Why do you hate him? I don't understand…" Sakura whispered weakly, her fear softening her tone. She thought she saw a flash of green tenderness run through Kenji's hard violet eyes, but that could have just been wishful thinking.

"_**I hate him… because sometimes… **_the way you _look_ at him…" Kenji's fierce eyes suddenly faded to green, as a sorrowful look took over his facial features. He released Sakura's forearms, and the 16-year-old let them fall limply to her sides. "Sometimes… the way you look at him… makes me feel like I'm losing you to him…" The 17-year-old's voice was barely a whisper now.

Sympathy clashed with fear inside Sakura's heart. She reached out to him; but remembering with a frightened shiver what happened last time, she thought better of it and let her hand fall back to her side. "Kenji, why would you say that? How can you even THINK that? You'll never lose me. Don't you know that?"

Kenji stared into Sakura's wide but earnest brown eyes. He could believe her. He **wanted** to believe her… But…

An image of Hiro and Sakura goofing off together earlier that evening before they went to the banquet flashed before Kenji's eyes, and he stepped away from Sakura, a crushed look on his face. Sakura, not knowing what in the world was going on in her seemingly bi-polar boyfriend's mind hesitantly stepped forward towards him.

"Kenji…?"

"You love him."

Sakura blanched. "W-what are you—"

"Am I wrong?"

The African-American teen opened her mouth to say that he was wrong; that he was **WAY **wrong. But then she thought about the way she had been feeling towards Hiro for the past few weeks. How he had saved her at the beach, how he had been so afraid that she was dead that Prank Night, how he saved her from falling on the hard kitchen floor the next morning, how they were joking around earlier that evening… how he held her when they danced… how he almost _kissed_ her...

Sakura shut her mouth in dismay. A look of terrible guilt crossed her features at falling in **love** **again**… this time with another guy.

That was all the answer Kenji needed. Swiftly, with a war raging in his heart, Kenji made his way over to the door and yanked it open.

"Kenji…" The oak-haired teen whispered softly, pleadingly.

"I don't want to hear anymore, Sakura." The jet black-haired teen turned towards Sakura, and his eyes were back to their scary purple tint. "But, no matter WHAT it has to come to…_**I WON'T let Hiro Awayuki have you that easily…**_" It was then that Kenji left, leaving his last bone-chilling words in the air.

* * *

"…"

"What's up, Ten?" Kai asked. His girlfriend had a mysterious look about her mahogany brown eyes, and he was starting to get a bit suspicious. Tenshi blinked and turned to him.

"Oh, nothing much. It's just… I feel a disturbance…"

Kai quirked an eyebrow.

"What are you now? A Jedi?" He asked, mocking the 15-year-old's love of Star Wars. Tenshi gave him a look.

"NO, Kai. It's just…something just doesn't feel _right_ to me," Tenshi frowned at not being able to describe this feeling as adequately as she'd like. Out of the corner of her eye, the 15-year-old teen noticed Kenji stalk out of an obscure room. A wave of terror hit Tenshi.

Wait a minute… didn't Kenji go into that same room with Sakura?

Where was Tenshi's "big sister" then??

"Uh…I'll be right back, Kai," The star-obsessed teen promised, and the Russian blader nodded, moving towards the doors to wait until Tenshi came back. Tenshi made her way through the crowds of people leaving to the door of the room Kenji had just come from. Pressing an ear to the door, the 15-year-old could have sworn that she heard someone inside faintly crying. Currents of distressed thoughts entered Tenshi's mind, and her fears of what happened to Sakura grew. Swiftly, she opened the door to find a figure crouched in the middle of the room, their back towards her.

"Hey… is that you, Sakura-nee?" Tenshi called out unsurely; the moonlight pouring through the room wasn't doing too much because Tenshi could only see the figure's back. Slowly, the head of the figure rose, and turned towards Tenshi. The mahogany-haired teen's eyes widened as she took in the tear-stricken face of her best friend.

"Sakura!" She cried out in alarm, running to the African-American teen.

"T-Tenshi…" Sakura whispered, her voice breaking.

"I'm here, Saku-chan; its okay," The star-obsessed teen reassured her sister, embracing Sakura for a moment. She then pulled back to examine her. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Sakura couldn't respond. She sat there on the floor, shivering violently from some unknown cold front. Tenshi gently touched Sakura's shoulder and opened her mouth to ask once more if she was alright. On contact, an image of a furious, violet-eyed Kenji propelled itself into her mind. The look on his face scared Tenshi, and she jerked away from Sakura, wide-eyed.

_So __**that's**__ what's got her so upset…_The star-obsessed teen realized, staring at Sakura with a concerned expression. "Sakura, do you need your medicine? Are you going into shock? Is the stress too much?" Tenshi inquired. Sakura took a few deep shuddering breaths, then smiled weakly up at Tenshi.

"No… I'll survive." The Cherry Blossom Princess rose shakily to her feet, with some assistance from Tenshi, and sighed again. "I don't know what to do anymore…" she admitted, the chagrin evident on her face. Tenshi frowned in concern.

"How could you let Kenji man-handle you like that? The Sakura **I **know would have beaten the crap out of him!" The 15-year-old chided. Sakura's bangs hid her eyes from view.

"You didn't see the cold chill in his eyes, Tenshi…" She whispered barely. "You weren't here; you didn't feel the way he grabbed me. You don't understand how—"

A thought seemed to come to the Cherry Blossom Princess. Curiously, she raised her head and stared Tenshi in the eye. "How did YOU know what happened? You weren't in here…" Tenshi gave her best friend a shifty glance.

"…Would you believe me if I told you I was psychic, Sakura?"

"No. No, I wouldn't," came Sakura's blunt reply. Then she shrugged, feeling a little better now that Tenshi was here. "But then again, I've been made Pretear, a mystical version of Mother Earth. I'm starting to believe that ANYTHING is possible." A contagious grin lit up Sakura's ebony face, and Tenshi grinned back.

"Well, I saw Kenji leaving the room that I saw BOTH of you go into…" Tenshi started to explain, deciding to settle on the half-truth.

After all, where was the fun in telling Sakura ALREADY when Tenshi could do just a bit more meddling…?

"And when you didn't come out, I knew something was wrong." The star-obsessed teen frowned again and eyed her friend/sister furtively. "Are you SURE you're okay?" Sakura had wiped off the moisture on her face caused by the tears, and gave Tenshi a wide-eyed look.

"Do I have scars on me or something?" she asked, starting to panic slightly. Tenshi snickered and shook her head; Sakura's extreme reactions to certain things always cracked her up.

"No, Saku; you look the same as you did this evening. Your eyes are just a little red. You'll be okay," the 15-year-old replied, convincing herself more than assuring Sakura. She glanced at the door, then her mahogany eyes returned to Sakura's chocolate brown ones, searching. "You wanna go now? Everyone else is nearly gone…"

Sakura deliberated for a moment. Then she shook her head, a small smile on her face.

"You go on ahead. I'll catch up later."

"Ya sure?"

"Positive. Now go on. You're probably keeping Kai waiting."

"Okay…" With one last concerned glance back at Sakura, Tenshi opened one of the big oak doors and disappeared into the hall.

It was then that Sakura let her smile drop, relieved to rid herself of her cheerful façade. She sank slowly back to the floor, letting the tears flow freely once again. She curled her knees to her chest and sat there, crying, for a very long time.

_I can't let anyone see my tears. Tears are a sign of weakness. They cause unwanted questions. I have to look strong. I have to BE strong. I have to __**STAY**_ _strong…but…_

A silent sob escaped her lips.

_I don't think I can do it anymore…_

* * *

"Tenshi!"

The star-obsessed teen squeaked, being caught by surprise by a weirdly familiar voice calling her name. She turned and noticed an older version of herself walking towards her. Blinking rapidly, she realized it was Yumi, Himura's mother.

"Oh, hello, Yumi-san." Tenshi greeted, bowing politely. Yumi smiled warmly at the teen.

"I was just wondering…are you doing anything tomorrow?"

Tenshi blinked. "Tomorrow…? Um…I don't **think** so…why?"

* * *

"A tea party?" Kenji questioned, quirking an eyebrow. For some reason, Takako, Saitoshi's mother, had cornered him on his way back to the Awayuki Mansion. Takako nodded.

"Yes. My husband Sasame and I thought it would be good to invite you. Then we could… talk about a few things…"

"Just me?" Kenji asked, puzzled. What in the world could this woman and her husband want with him?

"Yes, if that's alright." Takako stared pleadingly up at Kenji and, looking into her jade green eyes, he felt a shiver run down his spine.

It was sort of disturbing, looking at this woman who looked so much like him; he felt something compel him to accept her request.

* * *

"Okay, I'll see if I can slip away from the others," Tenshi agreed, having accepted Yumi's invitation for tea the next day. Himura's mother gave the star-obsessed teen another gentle smile and walked away.

As Tenshi and Kenji each dealt with the mothers of the Leafe Knights' sudden tea invitations, they couldn't help but feel as if something big was going to happen during tea time…

* * *

The next day, Tenshi rose bright and early from her sleep, ready to start the day. As she tiptoed to the bathroom, she cast a wary glance towards the motionless lump in the bed on the other side of the room. Sakura had been in bed when Tenshi finally got back to the mansion last night and the star-obsessed teen hadn't had a chance to check how the African-American teen was feeling.

_She said she was fine last night,_ Tenshi reassured herself. _If she's feeling bad, she always has __**Hiro**__ to look after her…_

Snickering silently, Tenshi disappeared into the bathroom.

* * *

A few hours later, the 15-year-old stood, gaping wordlessly, at a mansion that was almost as big as The Awayuki's… if not BIGGER.

"Mou!" Tenshi huffed to herself. "Does EVERY adult I know on Awayuki Island live in luxury??" An amused chuckle sounded behind Tenshi, and she whipped around, ready to lash out instinctively at the person foolish enough to sneak up on her. It took all she had to keep herself from accidentally hitting Hajime, the older version of her 'kid brother', Himura.

"Well, actually, Himeno-chan had no idea what to do with the vast amount of money she discovered in her trust fund when she turned 20. Hence why it's good to have friends with money," Hajime explained, still chuckling to himself. Tenshi laughed along with him as she silently marveled the generosity of Himeno's nature. "Well, come inside," he invited, after he had quieted down. "Bad things happen if you keep Yumi waiting; believe me."

**With Kenji**

"I'm glad you could make it, Kenji-kun," Takako said to him, smiling up at the teen that was a few inches taller than her.

"Good to be here," Kenji muttered absently in response, his mind obviously elsewhere. He hadn't seen Sakura before he left, and he wanted to apologize for how roughly he had treated her the night before. Of course, looking back on it, Kenji couldn't quite remember how he acted when he was upset. All he could remember was her frightened face, rage, anguish… and darkness.

A deep, impenetrable darkness.

"Something on your mind?" came Takako's voice. Kenji snapped out of his thoughts.

"What?" he asked, flushing because he realized that Takako knew he wasn't paying any attention to her. However, the jet-black haired woman didn't look angry with him. She merely stared politely up at the teen, a soft, questioning gleam about her jade green eyes. Looking at her, Kenji felt as if he could tell this stranger anything. But when he opened his mouth to speak, Sasame chose that moment to appear, also flashing a smile at the teen.

"So he finally arrives," Sasame announced, the same joking smile on his face that Kenji had seen so many times on his son. "Come into the parlor, and we can catch up on a few things…"

Was Kenji finally losing it, or did he just see a tentative glance pass between Sasame and Takako?

**With Tenshi**

Tenshi was having a great time so far. Yumi was a very easy person to get along with and Tenshi could guess where Himura inherited his gentle nature from. Not to mention Hajime was just a riot; he even summoned up a water dragon just for Tenshi's amusement. Yumi and Tenshi now sat next to each other on the couch, giggling over the pictures in the photo album Yumi had brought out to show her.

"Wow! Himura was just as adorable as a baby as he is now!" Tenshi cooed, as they flipped through pictures of the young Knight of Water's infanthood.

"Yes, but he _is _a bit quiet…" Yumi tilted her head to the side, as if she should be worried about this little tidbit.

Tenshi waved the thought off dismissively. "He's fine; he'll probably grow out of it if I spend enough time with him," The star-obsessed teen promised. Yumi gave her a fond smile.

"You're such a spit-fire," the mother of Himura commented, as Tenshi flipped to the next page of photo album. A shock awaited her on the next page.

There was only one photo on this page. There in the middle stood a younger version of Yumi, grinning brightly at the camera, holding a bundle of blue in which baby Himura was incased, but there were two other adults on either side of Yumi. One had long blonde hair that reached all the way to her lower back as the woman rested a hand on Yumi's shoulder, while the man on the other side of Yumi had thinning dark brown hair and a mischievous grin plastered onto his features. Next to Yumi was a little girl clinging to her skirt, looking barely older than 7. Her hair was dark brown, much like Yumi's, and her eyes were mahogany, like Yumi's…

_That's…__**me**_ Tenshi realized with a jolt.

"No doubt you picked up that attitude from Tamia …" Yumi finished softly, naming the woman in the picture.

Tenshi turned her wide eyes up to Yumi. "You…you knew my parents?!"

Yumi's face folded into a mask of ancient sadness.

"The truth is, Tenshi," she began. "Your **real** mother is sitting right in front of you."

**With Kenji**

Kenji stared blankly at the couple sitting before them, distraught expressions plain on their faces as they explained the difficult time they went through in the early days of their marriage. He silently wondered why they were telling him all of this.

"Saitoshi wasn't always an only child," Sasame recalled, staring at something Kenji couldn't see. "We had two young boys; they were fraternal twins. Saitoshi inherited my looks, while the other…" His gaze slid over Kenji's features, "… ended up looking more like his mother."

Kenji blinked, wondering what the original Knight of Sound was getting at.

"They grew into two bright and playful young boys." It was Takako who spoke now, gazing fondly into space, reveling in her memories.

"Saitoshi was always a bit on the shy and quiet side, like me, but his twin certainly wasn't afraid to say what was on his mind." She smiled at this. "I was the happiest I could ever be in a very long time…" Suddenly, the former Princess of Disaster's expression grew dark.

"But then, that terrible day rolled around…"

**With Tenshi**

Tenshi was confused.

This was bad.

Because, when Tenshi was confused, she got frustrated.

And when Tenshi became frustrated, **bad things happened.**

"… what… are you saying…?" she began slowly, starting to frown. Yumi stared at her supposed daughter, a touch of anxiety in her mahogany colored eyes.

"I can explain, if you will listen—" She started to say, but was interrupted by Tenshi leaping up.

"You **can't** be my mother!" The star-obsessed teen instantly denied, her frown becoming more defined. "I've never seen you before in my life! I had no idea who you were before I came here! How could you POSSIBLY be my mother?? I look a little like you, sure, but that doesn't prove anything!"

"Please listen," came Hajime's anxious plea from behind Tenshi, and she whirled around to face him.

"Why? So you can tell me that you're my REAL father??" She spat, her confusion making her irritable. Hajime said nothing, his pleading expression still in tact. Breathing hard, Tenshi slowly realized that she was being unreasonable; just because she didn't understand didn't mean that what they were saying wasn't true. Even though she still refused to believe it, she should at least settle down and hear their side of the story. So, like the young lady she was, Tenshi sat back down on the couch and turned to Yumi, all her attention focused on the older version of herself.

Though, the scowl did not dull from her features.

Yumi took a deep, shuddering breath, and prepared to tell her story.

"When I first found out that I was pregnant with my second child, Himura, I was ecstatic. I already had an angelic daughter to look after, and I hoped she'd get along with her brother as well." Yumi's expression darkened. "But then Hajime and I found out that we were in debt. Hajime's job wasn't going too well, and at the time, Himeno hadn't received her trust fund, so she couldn't offer us any assistance."

Tenshi shut her mouth; she had been ready to object to the claim of money problems, judging by the size of the house they lived in now, but Yumi had stopped her short with her explanation.

_It's as if she read my mind…_ The 15-year-old thought to herself.

"We then realized that there was no way we could support ourselves, let alone provide for our children. I grew depressed; I didn't want to give up my son, but I could see no way out of this darkness. That's where the Tsukinos came in."

Tenshi's eyes widened at the mention of the surname of the couple that raised her. "They were friends of ours. They didn't have any children of their own, and they seemed to be the best family to send our children away to where they would be cared for properly," Yumi recalled, appreciation and grief mingling in her eyes at the loss of her friends. "So, with a heavy heart, after Himura was well enough to feed from a bottle, I gave him and my daughter, Tenshi, to the Tsukinos."

Yumi chose this moment to look into her daughter's eyes, and Tenshi saw so many emotions going through the eyes of Himura's mother-possibly **her** mother- that she found herself choked with emotion as well.

"You were so young," Yumi continued, gazing at Tenshi. "You didn't understand what was going on. This was the hardest decision that I, as a mother, had ever had to make. I asked that Tamia take my place, and do anything to make you believe that she was your real mother. I even had them dye Himura's hair blonde, so he'd look more like part of their family."

Realization struck Tenshi, and she finally came to see why Himura had seemed so familiar to her: Himura was Tai, the little brother that she had forever and a day… the one she had believed she lost in the accident that killed her parents.

"Oh my gosh…" The star obsessed teen breathed, and Yumi took this as a sign to go on.

"When Hajime and I found out what happened to the Tsukinos all those years later, we came to Kyoto to look for you and Himura. We couldn't find you anywhere in the house, and the police hadn't found your body at the scene of the accident, so we assumed that you were forever lost to us. But we found Himura, who had been flung into a river in the accident. We thought he was dead, but we could just barely make out the shallow rise and fall of his chest." Yumi smiled with relief. "We assumed that it was because he was the next Knight of Water, his abilities saved him. Hajime and I brought him back to Awayuki Island, and the rest of our friends welcomed him with open arms. The poor thing didn't seem to remember that his parents were different before he came to us, but he loved us still, all the same." Yumi gazed into the eyes of her daughter, warmth and relief shown on her face.

"And now we've found YOU again, Tenshi. You have no idea how happy I was to see you, the first time we met you and Sakura."

"… does Himura know about this…?" Tenshi asked, keeping her voice carefully even.

Yumi blinked and the sadness was back.

"… no," She replied at last. "Himura has no idea of what happened in the past, and I intend for it to stay that way."

Tenshi shot up from the couch at these words.

"So that's it?" She demanded. Hajime looked surprised at her sudden outburst, but Yumi remained calm, as if she knew already what it was the 15-year-old wanted to say.

"You're just gonna LIE to him for the rest of his life??" Tenshi continued, glaring at the couple with an extreme rage she didn't know she had. "What kind of parents ARE you?? How could you do that to him? How could you do this to ME??" Tenshi wasn't quite sure yet if she believed Yumi's story, but all the same, it felt like the older version of herself sitting on the couch in front of her had betrayed her.

"You don't understand—" Hajime started to say, but Tenshi would not hear of it.

"I UNDERSTAND! I **understand** that I've been cruelly tricked into thinking that EVERY lie that came out of the people who WEREN'T my birth parents was the truth!" She hissed, venom dripping from her words. "AND I **understand** that my REAL parents didn't have it together enough to even take care of themselves. I ask **again**: what kind of parents ARE you??"

Hajime flinched at the accusations; Yumi stared back at the furious Tenshi. The knowing look in her mother's eyes was driving the 15-year-old up the wall.

"You're only saying these things because you're upset," The older version of Tenshi said softly, and Tenshi grew more agitated with the woman's calm understanding. "You don't mean any of it."

"How would YOU know?" Tenshi shot back. Yumi cocked her head, and Tenshi thought she could see just a glimmer of amusement in those mahogany eyes.

"…Would you believe me if I told you I was psychic, Tenshi?" She inquired, quoting the near-exact question Tenshi had asked Sakura the night before. The star-obsessed teen stared at Yumi. This was all becoming too much: first, she finds out that Hajime and Yumi are her real parents, then that Himura is actually her brother Tai, and NOW Yumi's a MIND-READER on top of that??

Things were getting out of control.

Spinning around while trying to keep herself together, Tenshi made herself march out the front door.

"Oh wait, please, Tenshi!" She heard Hajime call after her, but she did not turn back around.

"Tenshi."

Though she didn't want to, at Yumi's voice, Tenshi did turn. Yumi's expression was forlorn, beseeching. "I know it was wrong to keep all of this from you and Himura, and I'm sorry. But now that you finally know the truth, you can come and visit us _any_ time you like. Please do."

Tenshi drew strength from all the hurt and betrayal she felt welling up inside her from all the years' worth of lies and gave Yumi the iciest look she could manage.

"Leave me alone. You're no mother of mine, no matter WHAT you say!!"

Whether Yumi was expecting that outburst or not, Tenshi did not know. But the hurt look on the older version of Tenshi's face was enough to satisfy the 15-year-old. And with that, the teen stomped out of the yard of her biological parents and determinedly made her way back to the Awayuki Mansion.

**With Kenji**

"There was this boy, who would constantly get into fights with our sons." Takako continued to explain, her porcelain doll-like features troubled. "Saitoshi couldn't stand up to him; he was too well-mannered. But our other son was always coming home with new bruises from fighting with that boy."

_Why don't they ever say the other boy's name? They just call him "our other son". They're being so mysterious… _Kenji pondered to himself, frowning slightly.

"One day, we got a call from our sons' school…" Sasame began, looking as if he were in great pain.

An image of a young, frightened boy with messy black hair standing over a still boy on the ground ran through Kenji's mind. He blinked rapidly, wondering what the heck that was just about.

"… we don't quite know what happened to the other boy," Takako was saying. Kenji forced himself to focus on her words. "All the principal knows is that our son and that boy were fighting, and the next thing he knew… the boy was **dead**."

A shiver ran down Kenji's spine as he heard those chilling words.

"I don't understand," he said, frowning. "How did the boy die, then? Surely you're not suggesting…"

The grim looks the Musika couple gave him told him everything he needed to know.

"But how? Did your-"other son"- have any weapons on him or something like that?" Kenji asked. He knew he was prodding at a painful memory, but he couldn't stop himself from asking. Somehow, he knew he had to prove their son innocent.

… Why he felt obligated to do this, he had no idea.

Sasame's features held a dark look.

"He had one…" the original Knight of Sound began. Takako gave him a sharp look, but the violet-eyed man persisted. "It was the power of **darkness**. THAT'S what killed that little boy: my son's darkness… and his **hatred**."

**With Tenshi**

Kai gave a start.

_If my ears aren't deceiving me, I think I hear something… _he thought, and he jumped down from the tree he was sitting in. He landed agilely on the ground, and followed the quiet but close sound. As he approached the pond on the Awayuki grounds, he found none other than his angelic girlfriend, kneeling down by the pond.

"Tenshi?" he called, coming closer. "So this is where you were all day, huh?"

Without turning around, Tenshi replied, "Hi, Kai."

The Russian blader was appalled to hear that Tenshi's voice slightly shook. At once, he was at her side.

"What's wrong—" He started to ask and, upon catching sight of the star-obsessed teen's face, his crimson eyes widened. "Are you _crying_?" he demanded to know.

Tenshi blinked. She had no idea what on Earth he was talking about. Of COURSE she wasn't crying; she felt fine. "What do you mean? I'm not crying," The 15-year-old denied. Kai gave her a funny look, then reached over and brushed away a tear from under her right eye. Tenshi felt the moisture leave her face, and was surprised. "Wha..."

"Who did it?" Kai interrupted; his intense crimson eyes were alive with a fierce fire. "Who hurt you, Ten? Just say the word, and I'll deal all of the pain back **tenfold** on whoever hurt you," he promised. Tenshi looked at him for a moment, and then she finally broke down. All the emotions couldn't be contained anymore.

"Kai…!" she sobbed, gripping his shirt, and he pulled her closer to him. He said nothing, but simply holding her close was enough. "… my own flesh and blood hurt me, Kai…" Tenshi admitted.

Kai frowned.

"I don't understand," he said. Trying to suppress her tears (and failing miserably), Tenshi relayed to Kai what she had found out two hours before at the Tsunami household.

In the midst of her explanation, Tenshi was almost too choked up at the hardest part of the story. She then felt Kai softly stroking her hair. Soothed a little by the caring gesture, the star-obsessed teen swallowed and forced herself to get the words out of her mouth so she could finally finish.

"… So… that's basically what happened…" Tenshi finished. The tears had finally stopped flowing, much to her relief, and she sat quietly in Kai's arms, too miserable to be embarrassed at being babied this way.

"… How could they keep something like that from you?" Kai asked softly. Tenshi couldn't tell if he was mad or not.

"I asked the same thing," she replied bitterly. "They couldn't even give me a decent answer."

"… Maybe you were better off not knowing," Kai suggested.

Tenshi nodded. " 'Ignorance is bliss'," She agreed. The star-obsessed teen thought about the couple she had believed to be her parents.

_Himura and I weren't even their children… _she thought to herself, a fresh batch of age-old tears pushing at her eyes, but she held them in. _But they still loved us __**so**__**much**__… is it even __possible__ for a complete stranger to care so much about someone else's children? Was it ALL a lie?_

A rustle in the bushes nearby startled Tenshi out of her thoughts, but since she was still encased in Kai's arms, so she wasn't worried.

She was, however, surprised to see a head full of red-orange hair appear out of the bushes.

"T-Himura…" Tenshi called to the young Knight of Water, remembering Yumi's wish to keep this secret from her son.

_Well, it's HER problem, not mine…_ the star-obsessed teen thought bitterly. _Still, I can't believe that Himura is actually Tai…_Tenshi blinked as she saw the tears streaming down Himura's young face.

"Himura, what's wrong?" She asked, leaving the shelter of Kai's embrace to comfort her brother.

"…I heard," Himura whispered, rubbing the tears away from his aquamarine blue eyes. Tenshi's hand froze in the patting motion as she patted Himura's back.

"… Heard… what, exactly…?" She ventured to ask, gazing apprehensively at her little brother. Himura sniffed and gazed up at the 15-year-old.

"How Mommy and Daddy have been lying to me all of my life," the Knight of Water answered, sniffling. "I hid in the bushes while you and Kai-nii-san were talking. I heard the whole thing…"

"Oh…" Tenshi said, mentally cursing herself for not realizing that Himura was nearby. Now this innocent boy knew the whole, ugly truth of something that was beyond his comprehension… yet, he knew, somehow, that this whole thing affected him just as much as it affected Tenshi. It was then that Himura began to bawl.

"W-why???" The 8-year-old cried, not bothering to hold it in anymore. "Why did they lie to us? Why couldn't we stay with them?? Why, why, WHY????"

Tenshi sat there, horrified, not knowing what to do. It wasn't normal for Himura to break down into hysterics… nor was it normal for him when he was Tai. He was a mature kid. But now that it had happened, the star-obsessed teen was at a loss for words.

A hand reached out and patted Himura on the head.

"I know that sometimes, the things parents do can be really stupid." Kai said; his voice barely above a whisper. "But, most of the time, they just do it to protect you from the ugliness of the world. That's what I'm told, at least. Maybe that's what your parents were trying to do for you. But the thing is, they never realize that kids… just don't stay kids forever."

The Russian blader rose to his feet and turned his back to Himura and Tenshi. "I'm gonna go train." And he began to walk off. Tenshi, who realized that what he said to Himura was the most sensitive he could be to ANYBODY else besides her, called out to him.

"Kai!"

The blue-haired teen turned once more to see Tenshi, a gratifying smile lighting up her features. "Thank you," she whispered.

Kai turned abruptly away from her, but Tenshi was able to see the light blush that formed on his face. She could also make out a slight "hmph" as the Russian blader walked away from the gardens and into the woods.

Tenshi looked down at Himura and smiled, patting his back comfortingly.

"It's gonna be alright now… Tai." Himura stared up at Tenshi at the sound of his old name and, slowly but surely, a watery smile crept into his features. Tenshi grinned wider in encouragement. "Somehow, little brother, it's gonna be alright."

So, Tamia and Steno Tsukino weren't her real parents.

So what?

She still loved them just as much as she should her real parents.

_Speaking of which,_ Tenshi thought with a cringe, _I'm gonna have to find some way to patch up things with Yumi and Hajime. What they did was messed-up, but they only did what they thought was best for us._

_And adults are allowed to make mistakes too, right?_

**With Kenji**

"Darkness…what are you talking about?" Kenji asked. An uncomfortable clenching feeling wrenched in the pit of his stomach. Sasame and Takako eyed him curiously.

"Surely you **must** know about light and darkness with your girlfriend being the Pretear, right?" Sasame inquired. Kenji's jade green eyes narrowed.

"My girlfriend being the _what_?" he wanted to know.

"Oh my. I don't think he knows…" Takako said to her husband, covering her mouth anxiously with her delicate hands.

"Know WHAT?" a frustrated Kenji demanded. "What's this about Sakura being Pre-whatever it is?"

"Whoops," Sasame muttered, clutching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger.

"Well, the cat's out of the bag now," Takako sighed, shrugging.

"Would somebody PLEASE tell me what's going ON here??" the 17-year-old shouted, his temper flaring. Takako eyed him worriedly.

"Please calm down, Kenji. It's dangerous for you to lose control of your temper." she pleaded. The image of his reflection from last night; with miasmic purple eyes, ran through Kenji's head. He gave a start.

"How did you—" he began, but Sasame held up a hand to silence him.

"All in good time, son," the violet-eyed man replied. A tingling sensation went through Kenji's body.

Strange… the way he called Kenji 'son'… seemed almost **right**…

Over the next hour, Sasame and Takako attempted to explain the complex world of the Pretear. They told him that Hiro and the others were Leafe Knights, sworn to protect the Pretear, Sakura, at any cost, that they work together to defeat the Princess of Disaster and her vile Demon Larvae, how Hayate, Sasame and the other male adults were once Leafe Knights, (Kenji didn't believe him until Sasame took his voice away to prove he was the original Knight of Sound) and how Himeno was once a Pretear and Takako was once the Princess of Darkness.

_So THAT'S the relationship between them…_ Kenji thought to himself as he thought of Hiro and Sakura, and temporary relief washed over him. But then he remembered the scene he witnessed between the two the night before…

The 17-year-old grit his teeth in rage.

"Why didn't anyone think to tell me before this?" he queried. "Don't you think I would've wanted to know where my girlfriend was running off to all the time? HUH??" The jade green-eyed teen had gotten to his feet, even though he was still attempting to control his anger. Sasame and Takako got up too, wishing to reason with him.

"We wanted to tell you, honest, Kenji-kun. But it wasn't our place to. We thought Sakura would have told you by now…" Takako whispered, her jade green eyes pleading with Kenji's eyes, which were of the same shade. Kenji blinked at the way she addressed him so familiarly, but he settled down just a bit.

"… There is a secret that we **can** show you though, Kenji," said Sasame softly. "If you'll follow us…"

The Musika couple led Kenji up a flight of stairs and down a vast hallway before they reached a door that was painted black. Sasame fished into his pocket for something, and then retrieved a silver key.

"Forgive the dust; the owner of this room hasn't been here for a decade…" The original Knight of Sound murmured as he slid the key into the keyhole. The lock creaked noisily with age. Sasame opened the door and stepped aside for Kenji to go in first.

The jet black-haired teen strode past the Musika couple and entered the room. A strange, yet powerful wave of déjà vu washed over him as he looked around the room. There was a train set on the floor, and a twin sized bed in the corner with a blue bedspread and stethoscopes all over it sat in the corner.

A little boy's room.

Kenji walked over to the bed, stared at it, and then, hesitantly, sank down onto it. Takako and Sasame watched him from the doorway, as he intertwined his fingers, his elbows resting on his knees.

"… Why does it feel so…**familiar** here?" he asked finally asked, looking at Takako. She smiled wistfully at him and came in to sit down beside him on the bed.

"Because… this was once _your_ room. When you lived here… as our **son**." she admitted at last. Kenji stared at her a while, at the woman who looked inexplicably so much like him… until now. Slowly, he nodded.

"The Nakajimas told me I was adopted when I was 12. At the time, I thought they were joking. But now I realize that they were telling the truth. As soon as I met Saitoshi… I knew I somehow had something to do with him… Does he know?"

It was Sasame who spoke this time. "No. Right after we sent you away, Saitoshi was in an accident. He had lost all memory of you."

"Wait a minute—WHAT?" Kenji refused to be distracted by the fact that his supposed brother was in an accident that wiped his memory. "You sent me AWAY???"

Takako had a slightly frightened look on her face now. "Please listen Kenji, I can explain—" she began, trying to hold her son's hand to comfort him, but he wrenched himself away from her. He stood in front of her, glaring in an enraged way.

"Then start explaining," he spat coldly. Takako flinched at his tone, but took a deep breath and plunged into her explanation.

"When I had repented from becoming the Princess of Disaster, I thought all the darkness, all the hatred that I felt had faded. But it didn't. It was passed on when I gave birth to you, Kenji." Takako looked up into the furious eyes of Kenji, her tears threatening to spill over. "I honestly didn't know what to do; your father and I never thought we'd have to go through such a crisis. It was then that we realized… that we had to give you away to protect everyone else. When Saitoshi found out what we had done, he ran away…that's how he got into that accident…"

"… So let me get this straight…" Kenji spoke in a low voice. "You sacrificed your **own** **SON**… to protect all the people that screwed you OVER in your life?? **WHAT** KIND OF **SENSE** DOES THAT MAKE, DAMMIT???" He ended up shouting, and Takako stared at him in alarm.

"Now Kenji, we know you're upset—" Sasame began to reason. Kenji rounded on him.

"I am NOT upset, 'Father'! _**I'M **__**OUTRAGED**_"

Sasame's voice faltered as he stared into the hellish miasmic purple eyes of his son, overcome by darkness. A wave of darkness shot at Sasame, and he was knocked into the nearby bookshelf on the wall. Takako cried out and ran to her beloved, staring wide-eyed after Kenji, who was striding out of the room. Flames of darkness licked at his figure.

"KENJI! COME BACK!!!" Takako cried desperately, but Kenji ignored her. The darkness surrounding him destroyed everything and anything he passed, and as soon as he was outside, the darkness lifted him into the air.

Kenji's clothes had changed. He was now wearing black leather pants and black spike-clad boots. He was bare-chested, and a long dark purple billowing cloak with a feathery collar was tossed around his shoulders. The eye of a Demon Larvae was protruding from his forehead and his jet-black hair grew so long that his hair tie burst from the effort of holding all his wild hair in place. His wicked miasmic purple eyes surveyed the sky as it rapidly grew darker with rain clouds.

"_**Keiko,**_" He called in a deep voice. A girl wearing a short purple form-fitting dress, long black gloves, knee-high black boots with Demon Larvae eyes at the cuffs of both the boots and the gloves appeared. Her black hair reached past her shoulder blades and her eyes were a deep blue.

"Yes, my **Prince of Darkness**?" She answered to the call, love shining in her evil eyes.

The Prince of Darkness turned to her and grinned cruelly.

"_**I've allowed this world to survive for too long. Let's cause a little mayhem, shall we?**_"

* * *

**A/N****: O.O OOOH! Bet you guys weren't expecting THAT now, were you?? XP Anyways, sorry as always for the super long time in between updates, but what can I say? I need to be able to feel what my characters are feeling in order to write; otherwise the chapter turns out as crap. I don't like that, and YOU don't like it either, do you? (Whistles) WOW, 21 pages. I believe that's a record. XD So, anyways, you know the drill! REVIEW FOR THIS AWESOME CHAPTER THAT I'M STAYING UP PAST MY BED TIME TO FINISH, PLEASE!!!**

**-MuraSakura**


	13. Chapter 13: THOS: Part 2

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary**** All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N****: Whew. Chapter 13. Getting close to the end, aren't we?**

**Hiro: (Has read over the chapter) ….**

**MuraSakura: What?**

**Hiro: I'm shocked you'd type such a thing…**

**MuraSakura: Eh. Don't let it go to your head, twas for the HiroxSaku fans.**

**Hiro: (Smirks) Sure it was…**

**MuraSakura: (Blushes and scowls) Just do the disclaimer.**

**Hiro: The authoress of this fic does not own Pretear, its plot, or its characters in any way, shape or form. She owns the plot of THIS story and all of the OC's in it, except for Tenshi, whom belongs to Mishi-chan, and Hiniku, who is owned by Invisible Love.**

**MuraSakura: Good boy, have a cookie. (Tosses cookie to Hiro) XP Okay, there shall be answers to reviews, then the chapter will start. Yosh!**

**Invisible Love****: Hey Hiniku, once you start updating as often as I do, THEN you can rant at me to update sooner! XP And blame the grammar and spelling mistakes on Tenshi, she's the beta. XP**

**LadyElfDragon****: Arigatou, Virali! XD Yes, shame on those parents! Tsk. XP**

**Starrychica82****: (Jaw drops) YOU REVIEWED!!!! O.O I thought you had given up on my story, for a few chapters there. DX Yes, you should go update! I don't like to keep my readers waiting; it makes them impatient. (Sweatdrops) So, here you go!**

**Cookie2718****: (Grins) I like you. You thank me for updating instead of urging me to update faster…unlike SOME people I know. (Pointed glare at Hiniku)**

**Shadow C.****: "Getting the hang of it"? Please, I've already had the hang of it. XP Again, complain of mistakes go to Tenshi, but DO NOT be so hard on her; that was a pretty flipping long chapter. XP And dude, like Tensh and I KEEP telling you: GET A HOBBY. OR A GIRLFRIEND. ONE OF THE TWO!!!**

**Mishi-chan****: I know, you didn't officially review, but I have a favor to ask. (Clasps hands together) PLEASE DON'T SHOW REI THIS CHAPTER!!! It'll break his heart! XO Oh, and arigatou as always for beta-ing my chappies! XP**

_**Note from the Beta**__**: If ANY of you complains about grammar and such in this chappie, I will personally kick the tar out of you. Virtually or physically, depending on whether I know you. Being a Beta is not as easy as it seems. I spent hours working on the last chappie. Not to mention some things were left they were originally for the sake of respect for the authoress. So please, no more complaining, no more grumbling. They make a very angry Mishi-chan and trust me: that is something NO ONE wants to have suffer through. You thought I was bad bored? That is nothing compared to anger. MuraSakura can vouch for me. So bug off, read, and enjoy the chappie for crying out loud!! Don't complain. You write for months on end and then go through it all over again for hours just to check for mistakes and then we'll talk. Have a nice day! **_

**Chapter 13: The Horrors of Surprises: Part 2**

"Where the hell **is** Tenshi?!" Sakura ranted out loud as she continued to search high and low for her friend/sister. "I swear, that child goes missing more than Waldo!"

The sound of music caught the Cherry Blossom Princess' attention and, curiously, she wandered down the hall to find out where the melody was coming from. She came to a door that was open just a crack, and peered inside.

Hiro was inside the room on the floor, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. His brow furrowed as he erased something on a sketchpad in his lap, with a boom box next to him playing rock music.

Sakura gulped. _Uh-oh. Maybe I should have knocked… But I wonder… _She thought, opening the door just a little wider. _What's he doing in here?_

To Sakura's dismay, the door let out a rather large creak when she tried to 'ninja' it open. Hiro's head snapped up at the sound, and his eyes discovered a guilty-looking Sakura staring back at him from the doorway.

He arched an eyebrow. "What are doing, Sakura…?"

Sakura flushed red and hesitantly stepped through the doorway. "Um, well, I was just wandering around, looking for Tenshi and something to do, when I heard music playing from this room and uh…" Sakura realized she was babbling and turned even redder.

_Baka._ She scolded herself. "Sorry, I didn't mean to barge in…"

Hiro shrugged good-naturedly. "Well, you didn't know any better, so I guess its okay." With this said, he went back to drawing.

Sakura watched him concentrate for a moment, and then spoke up again. "Can…can I stay here, then?"

The tip of Hiro's pencil broke. Slowly, he stared up at the African-American female. "…Why would you wanna do that…?"

Sakura shifted somewhat uneasily under his gaze. "Well, I'm kinda bored, and Tenshi always turns up when you're not looking for her, so um…"

The two stared at each other for a moment.

_Baka! What ARE you thinking?? _Sakura shouted at herself internally. _You almost KISSED him last night! You shouldn't be __**alone**__ with him, ESPECIALLY not now that Kenji's away as well!_

A voice within Sakura, a darker one that she hadn't heard from since her first Demon Larvae battle, seemed to speak up.

"**Who cares about Kenji?**" It said. "**He nearly beat you last night…did you forget?**"

_...No. _Sakura's thoughts sub-consciously answered the voice, shuddering in remembrance of Kenji's cold, emotionless purple eyes.

"**Then why should you care if you break his heart? He nearly crushed **_**yours**_** to bits. This could be your one chance for revenge…**" The voice drawled.

_But I'd never do that to Kenji…_ Sakura's thoughts protested, but the darker part of Sakura's mind was beginning to like the idea of getting back at Kenji…and hitting him where it hurts. The Cherry Blossom Princess then closed the door behind here and plopped down onto the floor across from Hiro. The look he gave her made her paranoid of the fact that maybe he could hear the dark voice in her head after all, but she shook the thought away.

"…Are you okay, Sakura?" Hiro asked, cocking his head to the side and giving her a searching look.

"I'm fine," Sakura automatically replied, though she was going red again. Hiro stared at her for a few more moments, and then he nodded, seeming to accept her answer. With a focused frown, he went back to sketching, and Sakura watched him in silence. But her curiosity was eating at her, so she edged closer to the Knight of Wind.

"What are you drawing?" She inquired. Hiro abruptly leaned back from Sakura, clutching the sketchbook to his chest with a guarded expression in his auburn eyes. Blinking in surprise, Sakura backed off. "Oh. Sorry, I didn't know it was a secret or-"

"It's not that," Hiro said quickly. "You just…surprised me is all. I didn't think you'd want to see…"

Sakura gave the 18-year-old an incredulous look. "Are you **kidding**? Of COURSE I want to see! I want to see whether you have any skills or not!"

Hiro blushed. "Well, when you put it _that_ way…" He trailed off, turning the sketchbook around for Sakura to see. She stared at the drawing, her mouth open.

It was **her**: a much sadder, darker Sakura.

Speechless, she stared up at Hiro, her chocolate brown eyes asking for an explanation.

Hiro shifted anxiously, and said in a rush, "It's not finished yet, of course. I still need to fix the rain running down the face, and the wings don't look quite right, so-"

The Cherry Blossom Princess reached out and gently took the sketchpad from Hiro's grasp, staring at the picture in awe. "…You're **good**," she breathed.

Hiro flushed further. "I'm really not all that good," he claimed in attempted modesty. Then, another rare moment, he smiled. "But thank you." He thanked warmly.

_Oh dear Lord…_ Sakura thought as Hiro's handsome smile devastated her. An overwhelming desire to pin him to the floor and have her wicked way with him was starting to take over, so she looked away from him and at his sketchbook, blushing madly. (**A/N****: Sorry for the intrusion, minna-san, but WHAT THE HELL? I don't remember being THAT amorous! o.O**) Absent-mindedly, she began to flip through Hiro's sketchbook without his consent.

"Hey, wait a minute-" Hiro protested.

Sakura ignored him. "Wow…" She whispered, staring at all the creations of her in her various forms of Pretear, her battling Demon Larvae, her laughing, her crying…

_I dunno whether to be flattered or creeped out…_The 16-year-old thought, a bit unnerved by all the drawings of her. "Are _all _these pictures of me?" She questioned Hiro.

The auburn hair and eyed teen looked even more embarrassed. "Um, some of them…" He replied slowly.

"Why of me?" Sakura persisted.

Hiro looked down at his lap. "…I dream about you. A lot," he admitted at last.

Sakura's face flared up instantly as she stared at him in disbelief. "…"

"I've always believed that my dreams meant something," Hiro continued, raising his head to look Sakura in the eye. "So, I normally sketch them in that book," he nodded towards the sketchbook in Sakura's possession. "And lately, you've been showing up in my dreams, so…"

"…I see." Sakura responded.

"Yeah," Hiro replied.

There was an awkward pause between the teenagers.

Sakura sighed. She knew she had to do something about the current situation, and she figured she had better do it fast before she changed her mind.

"Hiro, we need to talk," the African-American teen said, her voice quiet.

Hiro blinked in surprise. "About what?" He queried.

"You KNOW what," Sakura told him firmly, looking him in the eye.

The way Sakura's jaw was set and the determined gleam in her eye told Hiro that there was no getting out of this one.

"Okay, look," he started. "Last night, I got caught up in the moment, okay? And I had taken some cold medicine right before the ball, so-"

Sakura leaned forward so that her face was mere inches away from Hiro's. He turned a dark shade of red.

"Are you telling me," Sakura whispered, her warm breath hitting Hiro's lips and her perfume slightly intoxicating him. "That last night, you only tried to kiss me because you were under some sort of influence…?"

The Knight of Wind was trying hard to focus on what Sakura was saying, but it seemed like he couldn't take his eyes off her lips. They were SO close, yet so far away…

"Tell me the truth," Sakura demanded, and Hiro finally rose his eyes to hers. Their gazes met and locked.

The silence between them seemed to stretch on forever, with auburn eyes boring into chocolate brown ones, and chocolate brown staring right back.

"…I—" Hiro began, and Sakura blinked expectantly up at him.

"Yeah?" She persisted, leaning forward slightly.

"I, uh…" Hiro flushed, knowing he was making a fool out of himself by tripping over his own tongue. Sakura tilted her head to the side.

"What? What is it you want to say, Hiro?" She pressed. Hiro coughed, looking away from the 16-year-old female.

"I'm…not the best at, you know, expressing myself verbally," He explained. Sakura reached out and brushed a strand of auburn hair from Hiro's eyes. The Knight of Wind turned to look at her, mildly surprised.

"You don't have to express yourself with words," Sakura told him in a hushed voice. "It's like drawing: express yourself through your actions."

"…" Hiro stared at the girl before him, and she stared back.

She was so beautiful, so bold… could he really express to her that he had fallen for her?

_Do it now before she becomes sane again!_ Hiro mentally shouted at himself. In a swift movement, he had closed what little distance there was between the two, his lips meeting somewhat roughly with hers.

It was a good thing Sakura was sitting down.

If she wasn't, Hiro surely would have made her legs turn to jelly, and she would have sunk helplessly to her knees.

Funny what one kiss can do to you.

Sakura whimpered softly as she felt Hiro's arms slide around her waist. A twinge of guilt went through her heart. She knew what she was doing was morally reprehensible.

She already had a boyfriend. And she knew, deep down in her heart, that even though Kenji was being a little…well, **evil** lately, even _he_ didn't deserve to be stabbed in the back like this.

But _damn_, Hiro could kiss.

After the first few seconds, Sakura could feel herself getting dizzy. Whether it was from pleasure or lack of air, she wasn't sure.

And frankly, at the moment, she didn't give a crap.

Hiro was practically crushing Sakura to him, wanting more and more of her with each passing second. Who knew it would feel so great to hold another girl besides Keiko like this? And who knew that in the end, he'd actually want to hold **Sakura** this way?

A few more eternities passed, and the two finally had to part for air. Both were breathing quite heavily, their foreheads together, staring at each other through half-lidded eyes.

"…Sakura," Hiro mumbled finally.

"Yeah?" Sakura whispered back, not trusting her own voice. Hiro lightly pecked the African-American teen on the lips and pulled back, staring into her eyes.

"…Aishiteru, Sakura." The Knight of Wind confessed, kissing Sakura's neck.

WHOA.

It felt like a burden had suddenly been lifted from Hiro's shoulders, and he took this moment to enjoy being able to hold Sakura.

…At least until he had to eventually face the reality that Sakura might not love him back, and that she already had a boyfriend.

Sakura sighed, content in Hiro's arms. He had just told her he loved her, and her heart was dancing with joy.

So what if this moment was betraying every thing special she shared with Kenji?

Hell, at this moment, Sakura couldn't even remember who Kenji was.

"Thank you for telling me that, Hiro," Sakura replied, smiling radiantly up at him. "And…to be honest…I think that I as well have—"

The roof of the room they were in suddenly and inexplicably blew off, and Sakura screamed, with Hiro holding her protectively against him, shielding her from the debris that blew everywhere.

"_**Oh, how touching,**_" Drawled a cold voice from above. "_**Not intruding on anything important, are we?**_"

Sakura pulled away from Hiro's grasp and searched the skies for what on Earth had happened to the mansion. She didn't have to look far; her chocolate brown eyes locked onto the Prince of Darkness's violet eyes immediately.

"…………" Sakura merely stared up at her so-called 'boyfriend', her mouth frozen into a silent scream.

"…_Nakajima_??" Hiro realized, calling Kenji by his last name. The Prince of Darkness began to applaud, his once handsome features twisted into a sardonic smile.

"_**Very good. You figure that out on your own…?**_" He asked. Keiko, who was right beside him, gave a high-pitched laugh. Hiro, having noticed her presence, now seemed to be at a loss for words.

Someone who was an outsider to the otherworldly nature of these teens, but knew the history of their love lives would probably look in on this scene, if it were a bit more normal, chuckle to themselves and say "What an odd pairing switch-up."

That person would be hard-pressed to find someone in that room to laugh at their little joke.

Sakura put a hand to her head, trying to decipher the madness that was occurring.

Surely it was all some cruel joke? A trick pulled purely out of boredom, much like the one she and Tenshi managed to pull off on the guys in what seemed like ages ago?

No…

This wasn't some evil prank, or a nightmare.

Sakura was forced to accept reality. Her boyfriend, Kenji Nakajima, had turned to the dark side.

A wave of nausea hit the 16-year-old suddenly, and she leaned over, dry-heaving, as cold sweat began to form on her brow.

"Sakura," Hiro called to her, realizing what was happening, and he rubbed her back, hoping that would help.

"……Why……?" Sakura whispered softly.

"What?" Hiro asked, his face betraying his concern and confusion: he hadn't heard what she had muttered, and he was starting to get worried. Sakura said nothing for a few more moments, and then she started to tremble.

"Why?" She repeated. "Why? Why? Why? WHY?" Her voice was growing louder with each cry, and finally the African-American teen jumped to her feet and glared up at Kenji, her eyes burning with unshed tears. "WHY would you surrender to the evil surrounding this island?! Kenji, how could you??"

Kenji shook his head, an amused look crossing his face.

"_**My dear Sakura,**_" He began, smiling coldly. "_**I AM the evil surrounding this island. Haven't you noticed by now? You're usually a smart girl. Perhaps, being around such company,**_" he sneered in Hiro's direction. "_**Has dulled your wits?**_"

Hiro got up and stood by Sakura, glaring fiercely in response.

"…But," Sakura started, turning to the Knight of Wind in confusion. "You said—"

"_**That there was a PRINCESS of Darkness behind this evil?**_" Kenji interrupted, and Sakura turned her attention back to him. "_**True, that is usually how the legend works, but you see, Takako Musika never had any daughters…**_"

Hiro's eyes widened. "Wait a minute," he interjected. "Are you trying to say that you're—"

"_**Yes, I am the spawn of the Princess of Disaster. I have become the Prince of Darkness through my mother's discarded hatred.**_" Sakura thought she could hear a note of bitterness in Kenji's voice when he said the word 'mother'.

"No way," Hiro instantly denied. "Takako only has ONE son, and that's Saitoshi." Kenji continued to smirk coldly.

"_**You wouldn't remember me,**_" He told Hiro. "_**My oh-so-loving parents gave me away. They felt it'd be safer for everyone if I just…**_" Kenji gestured towards Hiro. "_**Disappeared like the wind…**_"

Hiro ground his teeth together.

"_**So, Pretear…**_" The Prince of Darkness drawled, turning to Sakura, who was only slightly surprised that he knew whom she was. "_**Isn't it your job to destroy me? I'm waiting.**_" Keiko moved closer to Kenji and kissed his cheek. Sakura's eyes flashed at this gesture.

True, the Cherry Blossom Princess knew she had no right to be feeling this way. Hell, she had just been making out with another guy as well, but the fact that Kenji slipped his arm around Keiko irritated her even more.

Kenji knew what she was glaring at.

"_**Oh, how rude of me,**_" He said, lowering himself and Keiko to the ground. "_**Allow me to introduce my accomplice and lovely assistant, Ms. Keiko.**_" Keiko's gaze swept over Sakura and Hiro, as if she were bored.

_Hiro's ex!_ Sakura realized with a jolt. She looked over at Hiro, whose expression had turned to stone.

_So that's what she meant…_ Hiro thought, comprehension dawning on him about Keiko's last words before she disappeared.

"_It was just so great…being alone in the dark with that person…" _

Sakura silently grasped Hiro's hand, nodding at him in encouragement. Hiro smiled a little and gave Sakura's hand a squeeze in thanks.

"_**Keiko has been a big help to me…**_" Kenji continued, striding forward slowly towards Sakura and Hiro. "_**While I spent time with you, she planted all the Demon Larvaes for me, so I wouldn't be suspected at all.**_"

"Kenji, I KNOW you…" Sakura began weakly, her face looking anguished. "You wouldn't do something like this…you're not evil…" The Prince of Darkness chuckled darkly, and Sakura suddenly lost her voice.

"_**You obviously didn't know me well enough…**_" He sneered, coming to a stop right in front of Sakura. "_**The Kenji you know is gone. And this Kenji is here to stay. You can either love it…or—**_"

Kenji reached out to Sakura, whether to stroke her face or smack her, she didn't know.

"Don't touch her!" Hiro growled, jumping in between The Prince of Darkness and Sakura, clad in his Knight of Wind uniform. He maneuvered his hands, and a giant gust of wing blew Kenji back, albeit only a few feet.

"Don't worry, Sakura," Hiro began, glancing at Sakura out of the corner of his eye. "I won't let Nakajima hurt you anymore."

Sakura's eyes shifted from overflowing emotions. _Hiro…_

"_**Foolish Leafe Knight,**_" The Prince of Darkness tutted, not at all deterred that he had just been attacked. "_**Do you honestly think you can take me down all by yourself?**_"

Multiple flashes of light went off, and there stood the complete set of Leafe Knights, barring any attempt to harm Sakura.

"No," Gaki answered The Prince of Darkness. "But I bet with US he could!"

All at once, the Leafe Knights attacked. Kenji barely flinched as each attack hit him…although they didn't seem to hit him at all. It was like a barrier had been put around him.

"_**Keiko**_," He beckoned. His assistant obediently swooped in, dropping what looked like a seed with a Demon Larvae eye on it. The room immediately turned pitch-black, and they heard the roar of what was undoubtedly a Demon Larvae, fully grown.

"It's not a problem!" Kato declared triumphantly. "The Pretear of Light can penetrate ANY type of darkness! Sakura! Prete with me!"

_Too bad Tenshi isn't here to witness my awesome power…_The Knight of Light thought, a sour look on his face. When Sakura still hadn't taken his hand, Kato peered curiously at her, his ring making the area of the Leafe Knights light up. "…Sakura…?" He called, waving his hand in front of the Cherry Blossom Princess's face.

"…Oh!" Sakura blinked, seemed to be broken out of her trance. "Right, sorry…"

_How could this be happening…?_ Sakura thought, dismayed, as she reached for Kato's hand. _Kenji was always so sweet, and I never felt any danger near him…was I just blinded by my infatuation with him…?And I feel so guilty because I'm in love with Hiro too... I don't know what to do anymore…_

Sakura's fingers finally met Kato's, and they clasped hands.

Nothing happened.

Kato's eyes widened simultaneously with Sakura's.

"Wha-" He breathed, astonished.

"What the hell are you two waiting for?" Moki yelled, as the rest of the Leafe Knights fired blindly at the roaring Demon Larvae. "Prete already!!"

Sakura and Kato tried again. Still nothing.

"WE CAN'T!" Kato cried in alarm, his eyes the size of saucers. This had never happened to ANY of them before…

What was going on??

**A/N****: BUM BUM BUUUUM! Yeah, I know, I'm stealing ideas from the anime and manga, but you can't sue, because I disclaim everything almost every chapter. XP BWAHAHA! (Frowns) I don't really like how this chapter turned out, but seeing as how it's not really one of the more important chapters (except for the confession scene and Sakura finding out Kenji's an evil bastard XO), to hell with it. (Shrugs)**

**Hopefully next chapter will be longer and better. Anyways, you know the drill! Review, por favor!**

**-MuraSakura**

**EDIT****: Okay, my beta made me make a few changes to the chapter, to make it a bit more romantic. I didn't add much, but I feel much better about this chapter. I hope you do too. Review please!**


	14. Chapter 14: An Angel Returns Home

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary**** All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N****: (Bounces in) TA-DUM!!! CHAPPIE 14!!! (Chapter shines with all its glory)**

**Hiro: (Rolls eyes) Here we go…**

**MuraSakura: (Ignores Hiro) Wow, lots of things have happened so far, eh? The plot has come a long way. (Starts counting on her fingers) Sakura was made Pretear, Tenshi discovered her mind-reading abilities, Hiniku and Kai found out about Sakura's "superhero" lifestyle, Tenshi and Kenji learned of their true origins, Kenji's sanity finally went bye-bye as he realized his role of the Prince of Darkness, and Sakura and Hiro finally got together… kinda. **

**Hiro: What do you mean, "kinda"? At the risk of **_**humiliating**_** myself, I told you—, I mean your CHARACTER how I truly felt about her. **

**MuraSakura: AH, but she didn't respond to your feelings yet, did she? (Smirks)**

**Hiro: …I hate you. -.-**

**MuraSakura: No you don't, Liar. XP Ookays, you know how it goes: I answer reviews and then you get the chapter. The very depressing chappie… Read on if you want to know what I'm getting at…**

**Crayzee Pyro****: LOL. I don't know, Joysy, it just did. XD Be happy!**

**Anime-Kunoichi****: I'm sorry. XO I don't like cliff-hangers either… when they're being used against me. LOL. XD**

**Cookie2718****: LOL. Thanks, Cookie! I like it when the intent mood of my chappies gets across to my readers. X )**

**Invisible Love****: (Sighs) Your forgetfulness puts me out sometimes, Hiniku. I'm surprised you remember your own name sometimes! XD I'm glad you found nothing to complain about it the chapter, though. XD But this one is 27 pages long, so you'll prolly find something to gripe about. (Rolls her eyes)**

**Lady ElfDragon****: Ha ha. XD Thank you, Virali, you're DEFINITELY not alone when it comes to disliking how Kenji's acting, currently… (Scowls)**

**Shadow C.****: (Frowns) I do NOT take a year to update. If it seems that way to you, you need to find something to pass the time in between your waiting. Like…sudoku. Or something.**

**Starrychica82****: (Smiles) Thank you very much. Yes, I had fun with the fluff in that scene. Tenshi so lovingly refers to the chapter as "Sakura's Seduction of Hiro Awayuki". (Rolls eyes)**

**Kaikia****: LOL. Well, thank you for FINALLY reviewing: better late than never. XD I'm both looking forward to and dreading the end. I'm looking forward to it because my 4-year-fic will FINALLY be complete. I'm dreading it because it'll be finished, that's it, "The End." Forevah. (Blinks) Oh well. I should work on my other stories as a distraction when I'm done with this one. XD **

**(Sing-song voice) Chappie De-di-cat-ion! XP This goes out to absolutely EVERYONE for reviewing and adding my humble fic to their favorites list. Didn't I TELL you that if you stuck with me that this fic was gonna rock? XD I believe I did. But thank you guys, so, SO much for all the love and support so far. I know I only have a few more chapters to go, and this isn't quite the end yet, but I just want to express my gratitude for every single thing everyone has done to help me and to help this fic move along. Arigatou gozaimasu! (Makes plushies and cookies and candies and cupcakes and ice-cream and any other sweet, cavity-inducing and zit-producing food rain from the sky) A special thank you goes to Invisible Love, for allowing me to take over her account with my swelling fic (since she doesn't write anymore anyway. XP), and Mishi-chan, who loyally and tirelessly betas my ridiculously long chapters and gives me constructive criticism to help make my writing better. I love you guys sooo much! (Glomps them) And Mishi-chan, thanks for being such a good sport about this chapter, even though Kai prolly hates me for it. (Grins) OKAY! I'm done ranting! ON WITH THE CHAPPIE, I SAY!!!**

**Chapter 14: An Angel Returns Home**

"Uh…Saku-chan…?" Tenshi asked hesitantly, poking her head into the bathroom.

"Yeah Tensh?" Sakura responded, her words muffled slightly by the towel that was dabbing at the sweat on her face.

"Well… I know you're busy and all…" Tenshi continued, as Sakura dashed out of the bathroom and across her bedroom to the water bottle on her nightstand. "But, I was thinking… you know, since a VERY special day is coming up, that we could, you know… hang out for a day? Like we used to before you got all magical and stuff?" The 15-year-old suggested hopefully. Sakura shot her friend/sister a hopeless glance after taking a deep swig of water from her water bottle.

"Well, I'll see what I can do, Tenshi, but I can't really guarantee anything. It's been hell lately, now that the Prince of Darkness has revealed himself…" The Cherry Blossom Princess trailed off.

"You mean Ken—" Tenshi began without thinking, but she stopped abruptly at seeing Sakura's face turn to stone at the mention of her psycho ex-boyfriend.

An awkward silence passed between the two teenage girls.

"Um… well, good luck, then," Tenshi said instead.

"Thanks," replied Sakura with a forced smile, and she rushed out the door without a backwards glance. Tenshi watched her leave, then sighed heavily. Pulling out her cell phone, she pulled up the calendar setting, which showed that today was July 23rd. Another date, July 25th, was highlighted red. The star-obsessed teen pressed "OK", and the highlighted date was enlarged. The words "My Birthday!" flashed across the cell phone screen. Sighing again, Tenshi shut her phone and put it away.

_Will she even remember…?_

* * *

"TAKE THIIIS!!!" The Cherry-Blossom Princess screamed, hurling another blade-like wind current at the core of the recent Demon Larvae terrorizing the town. Luckily, Shinta had erected the containment field, so no one outside the battle was to be hurt. The attack hit the core dead-on, but once again, since Sakura was not able to Prete for whatever reason, it wasn't enough to fully destroy the Demon Larvae.

"That's good!" Hiro encouraged as he held onto Sakura, both floating in mid-air above the spawn of the Prince of Darkness. "I think if we hit it ONE more time, it should be destroyed."

"Okay," Sakura agreed, taking Hiro's hand once more as he gave her Leafe. Focusing with all her might, Sakura flung another attack at the core. As Hiro predicted, this last attack did the trick. The Demon Larvae gave an almighty roar of defeat, and then all was well.

Sighing with relief, Sakura allowed herself to be brought back to the ground, courtesy of Hiro. "Glad THAT'S over," The 16-year-old muttered, flopping down onto the ground in exhaustion.

What's that?

"If Sakura can't Prete, how is she still fighting?" you ask?

Well, that's a VERY interesting story indeed.

See, when Sakura realized that she'd be virtually useless when the Leafe Knights needed her most, Sakura bluntly refused to accept it. Stubbornly, the Cherry Blossom Princess did everything she could in a desperate attempt to reclaim her lost powers. She talked to Himeno, asking her how the former Pretear recalled her ability to Prete. Himeno explained that it was her longing to help everyone again that helped her become Pretear again.

Well, Sakura was certainly willing to help everyone (and kick a certain demonic ex-boyfriend's ass), but so far, that wasn't getting her anywhere.

So every day, she trained, trying to Prete with each of the knights, but having no success. One day, when she was training with Gaki, Sakura got so fed up that she wrenched her hand from said Knight of Fire's grasp and slammed her fist against the nearest wall… which caused her great pain, by the way.

But a jet of fire had spouted from her fist as she swung it. Gaki pointed this out to Sakura, who was making an effort not to cry from badly bruising her hand, and they reported this to everyone else at once. It was here that Sakura realized that she could still use a portion of her Pretear abilities. It was like how the Knights attacked, only it was amplified through her abilities. The Knight that would be helping her at the time would give her a little of his Leafe and she'd concentrate it into an attack. Of course, these feeble attacks were nothing when Sakura was at full power, but for now, they'd just have to do. It took many attacks to destroy one Demon Larvae, and it tired Sakura out as well. But if this was the best she could do, then Sakura would damn well do it.

"You okay?" Hiro asked, not bothering to hide the concern in his voice or face.

Sakura flushed and smiled lightly at Hiro for his concern. "I'm kind of tired, but I'll be alright," she promised him. Hiro scrutinized Sakura for a moment, and then, without warning, he pulled her into a one-arm hug. Sakura blushed severely as her head came to rest on Hiro's shoulder. "H-Hiro…?" Sakura called questioningly.

"…Don't push yourself too hard, ne Sakura?" Hiro requested, his head bent low near Sakura's ear. "If it gets to be too much, don't hesitate to say something. You may be the Pretear, but you're still only human."

_Hiro…_ The Cherry Blossom Princess thought in surprise, her brown orbs shifting from great emotion. Swallowing the lump that had suddenly arisen in her throat, Sakura thought now was the best time to finish what she wanted to say.

"Hiro, I—" Sakura began, but she was interrupted by the approach of the other Leafe Knights.

"You were AWESOME today, Sakura!" Moki cheered as he ran towards the African-American female. Hiro abruptly let go of Sakura and stood up just as Moki, Himura and Shinta dog-piled onto Sakura's lap.

"Yeah! That Demon Larvae had no idea what was coming to him!" said Shinta, beaming cutely up at Sakura.

"You'll become the Pretear again in no time at this rate!" Himura reassured Sakura, giving her a thumbs-up. Sakura smiled rather weakly at the three youngest knights, but it was warm all the same.

"Arigatou, minna-san," she thanked them. The elder knights, who were listening to the youngsters chatter, smiled at Sakura in encouragement as well, Hiro especially. Sakura grinned back. Her gaze lingered on the Knight of Wind a bit longer than necessary.

_I guess it'll be alright if I wait a little longer to tell him how I feel…_

* * *

"You're leaving AGAIN?" Tenshi protested as Sakura became a purple blur as she dashed around the room, grabbing her medication and a bottle of water.

"Ah…yeah," The African-American female admitted, cringing an apology at her friend/sister. "Hitori was just here; she says that Himeno could faintly sense the presence of a Demon Larvae. So that means the Leafe Knights and I have to go and destroy it. Sorry, I know I promised to go to the movies with you and Hiniku, but…"

_But, once again, Hiniku and I get the backseat…_ Tenshi thought bitterly. Then, realizing what she was thinking, the chestnut-haired 15-year-old shook her head. _I shouldn't be thinking such things. It's not Sakura-chan's fault… _She scolded herself. Still, the bitter resentment for Sakura's responsibility wouldn't _completely_ go away…

"Do you know when you'll be back…?" Tenshi asked, as Sakura whisked by her. The 16-year-old paused at the top of the stairs, and gave her friend/sister the same, hopelessly frustrated glance as yesterday.

"I don't know, Tensh. I promise I'll try to be back soon, though. Apologize to 'Ku-chan for me, won't you?" Smiling in an 'It-Can't-Be-Helped' way, Sakura flew down the stairs to join her awaiting fleet of Leafe Knights outside.

"Hey! Where's Sakura-chan going??" Hiniku objected, coming out of her room just in time to see the said teen slip out the door.

"Where do you think? To protect mankind," Tenshi remarked, a rather rude note in her tone.

"Again?? Mou…" Hiniku sighed and ruffled her hair. "Will she be back in time for the movie?"

"She doesn't know."

"Well, should we wait?"

"…No," Tenshi replied firmly. "Let's just go."

* * *

"You did well again today, Sakura-chan!" Saitoshi complimented as he held Sakura, the rest of the Knights flying behind them. "I'd even say you're improving."

"Thanks," Sakura thanked half-heartedly. Saitoshi didn't miss that she stole a glance at her watch every thirty seconds, when she thought he couldn't see.

"Something on your mind?" He asked conversationally when he once again caught Sakura peeking at her watch. Startled, Sakura stared up at the Knight of Sound with bewildered eyes.

"Huh? What do you mean?" She asked, her brown eyes wide and innocent.

Too innocent.

Saitoshi smiled understandingly. "Well, during the whole fight, you fidgeted impatiently and you missed your mark more than once in your haste. Not to mention that you seem to think looking at your watch a lot will make time slow down for you," the 17-year-old chuckled good-naturedly. "Why don't you tell Big Brother Saitoshi what's wrong?"

Sakura gave Saitoshi an appraising look. " 'Big Brother', huh? It wasn't too long ago that you were hitting on me, was it?" she reminded him. Saitoshi sweatdropped.

"Well, I can never help myself when it comes to cute girls. Call it a weakness," He joked, flashing Sakura his heart-melting smile. Surprisingly, it didn't make Sakura's heart melt this time.

_Strange…_ Sakura wondered to herself as she noted this fact. _It used to be that one smile from Saitoshi would make me blush so easily. Why is it different now? _

A scene from Sakura's past played in her head, as if it were summoned. She was in Hiro's embrace in that room that afternoon that seemed so long ago.

"_Aishiteru, Sakura."_

Sakura promptly turned beet red at remembering that moment. _Oh yeah…_ She recalled wryly. _That's why…_

"Oi! Earth to Sakura!" The Cherry Blossom Princess heard Saitoshi call from what seemed like a far distance. She snapped back to reality to see Saitoshi giving her an odd look. "You okay?" he asked cautiously.

Sakura grinned up at him, a little embarrassed. "I'm fine. Just thinking about things," she explained.

"What kind of 'things'?" The Knight of Sound ventured to ask. "Besides the fact that my twin brother is bent on destroying the world," he quickly amended, an edge of pain to his voice.

You can imagine the chaos that ensued when Saitoshi was told that the Prince of Darkness was in fact his own long-lost twin brother. It was a colossal tribute to Hiniku's love and support that Saitoshi was able to keep from going mad himself. It took a little over a few days time for him to return to normal, ready to join in the endless struggle against darkness.

Sakura sighed. She knew this was as every bit as painful for Saitoshi and his family as it was for her. "No, I wasn't thinking in that direction at all… but there's no doubt in my mind that my thoughts would have returned to it," Sakura cringed. "I was just agonizing over the fact that I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with Tenshi and Hiniku lately. I was supposed to go to the movies with them today…"

The Cherry Blossom Princess raised her head skyward, her eyes searching the stars for solace. "Also, that day is coming up…" she whispered to herself. It was, of course, inevitably overheard by Saitoshi.

"Eh? That day?" the Knight of Sound questioned. Sakura ignored him and looked down towards the ground, where they were passing over shops and such.

_I'll have to make up for it with a really good gift,_ Sakura swore to herself, when a shop in particular caught her interest.

"Stop! Put me down!" she suddenly cried out. Alarm flashed across Saitoshi's face.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" he questioned frantically.

"No. I just want to buy something down there," the African-American teen explained, pointing to the shop she wanted. Saitoshi struggled against gravity to avoid doing a mid-air anime fall.

"THAT'S what all the ruckus is about? Can't it wait till tomorrow?" Kato asked, who was near enough to hear the conversation.

Sakura scowled. "No, I wanna buy it now! I HAVE to buy it now! Tomorrow will be too late!" she protested. Getting a flash of inspiration, she turned to Saitoshi and clasped her hands together, her puppy dog face in play. "Pleaase?" She pleaded, her lower lip stuck out in a pout.

Saitoshi sweatdropped yet again. "You really wanna go THAT badly?" He inquired. Sakura nodded, still pouting.

"Just let her go," Hiro spoke up, sighing and folding his arms. "It can't be helped if she wants to go, right?" The Knight of Wind reasoned. Sakura grinned, ecstatic that Hiro was arguing her case.

"Oh, fine," Saitoshi gave in, sighing in defeat.

"Whoo-hoo!!" Sakura cheered, grinning more broadly now. Saitoshi touched down on the ground out of sight of the normal shoppers, placing Sakura on her feet as the rest of the Knights touched down and resumed their civilian clothes.

"Saps," Gaki accused Saitoshi and Hiro, grinning in a teasing manner.

"Shut up," Hiro and Saitoshi responded at the same time.

* * *

Tenshi deliberated at Sakura's door, a war raging within her mind. Her hand was on the handle of Sakura's door, and her face was screwed up in a determined frown.

On the one hand, she wanted very much to burst in and yell to Sakura (and the heavens) that today was her birthday and she demanded that Sakura spend time with her today.

…But on the other hand, the fate of the world depended greatly on Sakura, which was probably putting a lot of pressure on her friend/sister. Tenshi didn't want to selfishly add more to Sakura's plate when the 16-year-old was already biting off more than she could chew.

But even so… it **was** Tenshi's birthday…

_I reserve the right to be selfish on my birthday, right? After all, I AM 16 today…_Tenshi thought determinedly. Her hand still wouldn't turn the door knob, though. "Mou…this is no good…" the star-obsessed teen complained to herself. But before she could decide on whether or not to open the door, the decision was made for her.

The door was abruptly pulled open inwards, and Tenshi, still holding onto the handle, nearly lost her balance as the door swung away from her.

"Bewii!" the now 16-year-old cried out, flailing her arms wildly before getting both her feet planted firmly on the ground. Sakura stood in the doorway of her room, staring at Tenshi with an eyebrow raised.

"…What are you doing, Tenshi…?" the African-American teen asked cautiously, as if she were afraid of the answer.

"Uh…" the ice blue-banged teen stuttered, wracking her brain for a suitable excuse for why she hadn't barged into Sakura's room by now.

_Wait a minute… I don't need an excuse! _Tenshi reprimanded herself. She fixed Sakura with a determined stare. "Sakura—" she began, but the Cherry Blossom Princess held up a hand to silence her.

"I know what you're gonna say, Tensh," Sakura claimed, chagrin filling her chocolate brown eyes. "I know I haven't been the best sister or friend lately. But I PROMISE to make it up to you today, okay?"

Tenshi blinked. She hadn't been expecting this.

"I found out that there's a carnival in town today," Sakura continued, and she pulled three tickets out from her back pocket. "Wanna go with me and 'Ku-chan today?"

Tenshi blinked again, as if she were having a slow day. Slowly but surely, a bright smile lit her features. "Yeah… yeah, okay. That works," she agreed.

Sakura returned the grin. "Okay…" the 16-year-old stepped out of her room and linked arms with her friend/sister. "Let's go!"

* * *

"Wow! I STILL can't believe Hiniku managed to hit that target when both of us failed!" Sakura cried out once again, an astonished expression still on her face.

Hiniku gave Sakura a sour look. "It's not THAT unbelievable. I told you I was good at **some** things!" the fiery Asian declared. Much to the amusement of Tenshi and Sakura, she attempted to lug around the giant teddy bear she received as a prize.

"Yeah, but when it comes to the height department, both Sakura and I have you BEAT, 'Ku-chan!" Tenshi couldn't help but tease her friend, glowing from the excitement and fun of the night. Predictably, this made Hiniku become enraged and go on a short rant about how she was in fact growing, and Sakura and Tenshi wouldn't be able to call her short anymore pretty soon. In her blind fury, Hiniku had accidentally ripped open one of the arms of the stuffed bear, and was trying to find some way to exchange it with the stubborn vendor.

"The poor bear," Sakura muttered to Tenshi, who snickered under her breath.

_This is fun…_the star-obsessed teen admitted to herself, beaming along with Hiniku, who was able to make the vendor trade prizes with her. _I'm glad we've finally got to spend time together… though I'm not sure if Sakura remembered my birthday yet. She hasn't said anything about it… she hasn't even given me my b-day punches yet!_

Tenshi glanced over at Sakura, who was looking around the carnival grounds, (scoping out cute guys, no doubt) when her mouth suddenly dropped.

"Oh… MY gosh," she breathed. Grabbing Tenshi and Hiniku by the arm, Sakura dragged them across the carnival grounds with no sort of explanation.

"Ow! Hey, Saku-chan! Where are we going??" Hiniku demanded to know. Sakura wouldn't answer her until they were half way across the grounds, where she let go of Hiniku and Tenshi and pointed upwards, staring open-mouthed again.

"WHAT was the big deal that you had to drag us ALL THE WAY OVER—" Hiniku cut herself off when she saw what Sakura was gaping at, her mouth dropping in the same fashion. Curious, Tenshi looked up as well. Her chestnut eyes widened considerably.

They were staring up at the BIGGEST roller coaster any of them had ever, **EVER **seen.

"…I CALL FIRST CAR!!!" Hiniku shouted suddenly, sprinting off. Sakura and Tenshi grinned at each other, following their friend's lead, before skidding to a stop and groaning as they saw the size of the line.

"You think it's worth it?" Tenshi wondered as she and Sakura took their places in line behind an impatient Hiniku. Before Sakura or Hiniku had the chance to answer, a group of teenage boys stumbled out of the exit for the roller coaster, looking dazed but happy.

"That… was SO AWESOME!" one of them breathed, grinning broadly as they passed the 'HST' group.

"Yeah," another agreed. "I threw up, like twice, but that was the GREATEST ride EVAH!"

Sakura turned to Tenshi with a 'Does-THAT-Answer-Your-Question?' smirk. Tenshi grinned in return.

"I stand corrected."

It took about an hour and a half for the line to go down to a reasonable size, and another ten minutes for Hiniku, Tenshi and Sakura to be near the front of the line.

"FINALLY!" Hiniku piped up when the ticket collector took their tickets.

At that moment, however, Sakura's cell phone rang.

Tenshi and Hiniku turned curiously towards Sakura as she picked up her phone, wondering who could be calling right now. A twinge of despair went through Tenshi's heart as Sakura frowned at the Caller I.D. _That_ meant trouble…

"Moshi-Moshi?" Sakura answered, a serious expression on her face. Hiniku and Tenshi watched as Sakura nodded as whoever was on the other line spoke. Her brow creased further as they said something that must have alarmed her. "Are you sure?" She asked urgently. She paused, and then her eyes lowered with despair. "I see… Yes, I'm leaving right now. Ja."

"What do you MEAN you're leaving?" Hiniku demanded as Sakura stepped out of the line for the roller coaster. "I thought today was supposed to be OUR day! AND we're getting ready to get on the 'greatest ride EVAH'! You CAN'T ditch us now!"

Sakura turned with desperate eyes to her two best friends in the whole wide world. "I'm **sorry**, guys. Truly, I am! But something's come up, and I have to go. Like NOW. Have fun on the ride, okay? You can tell me all about it when I get back," she assured them, turning on her heel to sprint back to the Awayuki Mansion, which wasn't too far away from where she was.

"Sakura!" Tenshi cried out, taking a step towards her friend/sister. Sakura turned back to her, curious about the tone the star-obsessed teen had taken. She was surprised to see that Tenshi was close to tears, something that didn't happen often…at least not in public.

"What's wrong, Tenshi?" the concerned African-American teen asked, torn between staying and comforting Tenshi and running off to perform her duty to society.

"Sakura… do you… even know what today is…?" Tenshi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The crease in Sakura's brow returned. "It's July 25th. Why?" She asked, confused by the question. Tenshi looked up at Sakura, the hurt more pronounced in her eyes.

_Why?! _The newly 16-year-old's thoughts were incredulous, though there was too much pain in her face to demonstrate that. Sakura looked even more concerned by Tenshi's reaction, but her phone buzzed before she could say anything more. Picking it up, she saw a text message from Hiro. "WHERE R U?" it demanded to know of her.

Sighing heavily, she texted him quickly that she'd be right there. _I'm gonna pass out from all this stress sooner or later…_ the Cherry Blossom Princess thought sullenly to herself. She then turned back to Tenshi, who still had that heartbreaking look on her face.

"I have to go now, but I want to talk to you, Tensh. Wait up, and we'll talk tonight, okay?" Without waiting for an answer, Sakura turned and dashed up the road, leaving Hiniku to comfort Tenshi on her own.

* * *

"Ah…I'm so tired…" Sakura complained to herself hours later, as she trudged up the stairs towards her room. Not only had she had to fight another Demon Larvae, but she also had to endure the cruel taunting of Ms. Keiko herself, who showed up just to brag that Sakura couldn't even prete properly anymore and how the last time she and Kenji were here, Sakura had to rely on Himeno to finish off the Demon Larvae.

_Bitch, _thought the 16-year-old uncharitably. As she made it to the landing and turned to the right to go to her room, she was only mildly surprised to find Tenshi leaning against the door of her room.

"Tenshi," Sakura greeted, walking towards her with an apologetic smile. "Sorry I'm so late. You didn't have to wait in front of my room…"

Tenshi's expression was unreadable. "Well, I figured we should talk as soon as possible, so I didn't want to miss you."

Sakura frowned in discomfort. "Yeah, about that…" the African-American teen sighed. "Maybe we should talk in my room."

"I'm fine talking out here," Tenshi said, her voice cool. Sakura blinked in confusion, disconcerted by her friend/sister's sudden icy mood.

"Are you alright, Tenshi? Right now, you seem kind of… GRR," Sakura expressed through sound effects, making claws with her hands in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Tenshi didn't so much as crack a smile. "No, Sakura," the star-obsessed teen enlightened her best friend, pushing away from the door and standing with her arms folded across her chest. "I'm not alright."

Sakura's frown became more pronounced with every passing second. "Well… are you going to tell me what's wrong, or are we going to make a guessing game out of it?" she asked, crossing her arms as well.

"I shouldn't HAVE to tell you what's wrong, Sakura," Tenshi said sharply, glaring at the African-American female. "In fact, NOTHING should be wrong right now."

"Okay, HOW am I supposed to know what's up if you're not gonna tell it to me straight?" Sakura shot back, quickly becoming irritated from the inexplicable attitude she was receiving all of a sudden. She had just gotten home from saving Awayuki Island from once again being overcome by evil, been spited by Keiko, and had used a great deal of her energy in the struggle. She did NOT need to put up with this right now.

"I wouldn't HAVE to if you'd just take the time to **talk** to me once in a while! But no! You're ALWAYS running off with your new friends to save the world, aren't you?!" Tenshi spat, her cool demeanor quickly fading.

The two were quickly and unconsciously getting louder as they argued, and the other inhabitants were beginning to rouse from their sleep from the noise.

"Oh, so it's suddenly MY fault that I'm the Pretear? It's **MY** fault that I have to destroy the evil that's infesting this island??" Sakura growled. WHY was Tenshi being so _unreasonable_ tonight?

"They gave you a choice when we came here! You could have turned your back on it and we could have left the island!" Tenshi argued further.

Sakura's eyes widened. "What are you TALKING about??" She demanded to know, taking a challenging step towards her friend/sister. "This isn't like you at all! Normally you'd be **reprimanding** me for shirking responsibility!"

"Yeah, well, that's before I found out that you wouldn't have time for me anymore!"

"Is THAT what this is about?? Tensh, I'm SORRY, but I can't help it when a Demon Larvae pops up! You KNOW the Knights need me!"

"Knights, Knights, KNIGHTS! That's ALL you're about these days! You don't even know what today is!!"

"Yes I do!! It's—!"

"MY **BIRTHDAY**, SAKURA! Today is my BIRTHDAY!!" Tenshi screeched at the top of her lungs. By now, Hiniku, Kai and the others were waking up, some sticking their heads out of their rooms to see what all the ruckus was about.

Sakura stared at Tenshi, who was fighting with all her might to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill. _So that's what this is all about. She thinks I forgot…_ the Cherry Blossom Princess thought to herself.

"Tensh—" Sakura began again in a kinder tone, but it seemed that Tenshi wasn't done yelling yet.

"I mean, I thought that even though you were SUCH an important person nowadays that you wouldn't forget your friends, let alone my birthday, but I guess I was wrong, huh?" Tenshi continued to rant, swiping angrily at the traitor tears that had spilt over. "Do you not care about me and Hiniku anymore? Is that it? Are you running off everywhere so you don't have to spend time with us afterwards?"

Sakura felt as if Tenshi had stricken her. "…How could you even SUGGEST that I would DO such a thing?? Tenshi, don't you know me better than that?!" the African-American female demanded incredulously.

Tenshi gave Sakura a hard look. "I **thought** I did. I guess I don't anymore. So you don't have to bother trying to spend time with Hiniku and me anymore. _We don't need you_."

The last words Tenshi uttered pierced Sakura's heart sharper than any bullet or blade could. Tenshi looked away from her, clutching her left arm. Hiniku, who had been one of the sleepy on-lookers, bit her lip and silently withdrew back to her room without a word.

_…So that's how it is, eh? Fine, _the 16-year-old thought, fishing for something in her jacket. Once she found it, Sakura threw it at Tenshi's feet and whisked past her into her room.

When she was finally within the confines of her room, the Cherry Blossom Princess stumbled blindly to her bed and collapsed onto it. Sakura knew that she was having another one of her stress attacks, and at the moment, she didn't care to try and suppress it. Sakura welcomed the nausea and the black out breaking through her consciousness willingly, mentally noting that she really should take her medicine… once she resurfaced. **If** she resurfaced.

A tear or two slipped out as her eyelids close and she sank into unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Tenshi kneeled down to inspect the glittering object that was thrown at her feet. It was a silver necklace with a star locket at the end, the word "Angel" engraved on it. With trembling hands, Tenshi opened the locket to find a goofy picture of Sakura and herself in the 5th grade, when they were first beginning to become friends. Across from the picture, the words "Best friends and sisters forever" were engraved on the other side. The tag attached to the necklace read "Happy Sweet 16, Tensh! May your 16 wishes come true this year! Sakura."

_Oh…great…now I'M the bad guy… _Tenshi thought bitterly to herself. She didn't bother to prevent the flow of tears anymore.

* * *

"Sakura? Sakura, open up!" Hiro demanded, pounding on the door to the 16-year-old's room.

There was absolutely no answer.

"SAKURA!" Hiro yelled, growing impatient with the silence that followed his calls.

"WHY are you shouting?" Hiniku asked, popping up suddenly and rubbing the sleepiness out of her eyes.

Hiro shot a frustrated glance at the fiery Asian. "Sakura won't answer the door. Does she USUALLY sleep this late?" he questioned.

"Why not? I do. Besides, you kept her out late, didn't you?" Hiniku countered.

Hiro frowned. "We didn't bring her back THAT late. Did something else happen last night?"

Hiniku gave a start. The memory of Tenshi and Sakura screaming at each other last night haunted her dreams, so she didn't get as much sleep as she had liked to.

"…DID something happen last night?" Hiro asked, reading the unease in Hiniku's face. The fiery Asian laughed a high-pitched, unnatural laugh that made Hiro question her sanity more than usual.

"Well, you see, the thing is…" Hiniku began, looking anywhere but Hiro's face, as she struggled to think up an excuse for why Sakura was probably so tired.

"…Hiniku: What. Happened." the Knight of Wind asked in a no-nonsense tone, fixing the short Asian with a searching stare. Hiniku quickly cracked under the pressure.

"SakuraandTenshihadafight!" she blurted out in a rush.

Hiro's eyebrows knit together. "What?"

"Sakura and Tenshi had a **fight**," Hiniku pronounced more clearly, frowning up at Hiro. "Now quit looking at me like that! It's creeping me out!" With that, Hiniku turned on her heel and stormed off.

_A fight…_ Hiro thought, and his frown deepened. He turned back to Sakura's door and resumed his insistent pounding on it. "Sakura! If you don't answer the door, I'm going to break it down!!" the 18-year-old threatened.

Still nothing.

Scowling, Hiro slowly backed away from the door, ready to ram his way into the room. "You asked for it!" he murmured under his breath as he rushed at the door. As his shoulder hit the door, it burst out of its frame and shattered into splinters all over Sakura's floor. Ignoring the mess he made, Hiro looked around for Sakura.

He found her sitting on her bed, staring bleakly at nothing.

"Sakura!" the Knight of Wind called, sitting next to her on the bed. "I've been knocking on your door FOREVER. Why didn't you answer me? I thought something was wrong," he ranted. Sakura turned her head vaguely in Hiro's direction, not quite meeting his eyes.

"…Gomen ne, Hiro…" she whispered. At her reaction, Hiro became most alarmed.

For one thing, Sakura didn't reply to him with some smartass comment, like, "Oh REALLY? Well, did you consider the fact that I maybe didn't WANT to answer the door? And speaking of, WHY THE HELL DID YOU BREAK MY DOOR DOWN?!"

And for another thing, and this scared Hiro the most: Sakura's face was devoid of life. Her face held no hint of emotion, and her eyes were dull and dead looking, no longer the bright chocolate brown color they usually were, but a murky mud color. Whatever Sakura and Tenshi had argued about the night before, it had really shaken Sakura up.

"Sakura, what happened?" Hiro asked, taking the 16-year-old's face in his hands.

"…What do you mean…?" Sakura replied. The look she gave him unnerved him further. It was like she was looking at him, but she wasn't really **seeing** him.

"I heard from Hiniku what happened between you and Tenshi. Are you okay?" He asked, searching her eyes carefully for the answer. At the name 'Tenshi', emotion finally came back to Sakura's murky brown eyes: pain.

"Hiro…I screwed up royally. I've been neglecting Hiniku and Tenshi, and now… now Tenshi h-hates me…" Sakura hiccupped, hugging herself in an attempt to provide herself with some sort of comfort. With his own heart aching in sympathy, the 18-year-old hugged Sakura to him, stroking her hair to comfort her.

"Sakura, hate is a strong word," he reminded her soothingly.

"Supposedly, love is a strong word too. And people throw it around everyday like it's nothing," Sakura retorted, a bit of her feisty nature pushing through her desolate exterior. Hiro laughed in spite of himself, though there was hardly any humor in that laugh.

"Come on. Cheer up," he encouraged.

Sakura would not be cheered. "You're not one to talk about cheering up, Hiro…" She muttered defensively. Hiro pulled away from her and took her face in his hands again.

"I'm serious," he said, his sincerity apparent in those auburn eyes of his. Sakura frowned slightly; Hiro was relieved that she was showing emotion again, even if the emotion was negative. "It can't be that bad, can it?" The 18-year-old asked, trying to sort this out. The kind of stress Sakura was being put through could **not** be good for her health.

Anger and pain resonated within Sakura's murky eyes. "Tenshi said she didn't _need_ me, Hiro. She's **sick** of me. Do you have ANY idea how that feels?? To have someone you love say that to you…?" The Cherry Blossom Princess cut herself off, choking on the words.

Hiro frowned. "I'm _absolutely_ sure that Tenshi didn't mean that at all. She loves you too, Sakura. I'm sure she was just upset," he reasoned.

"But still…" Sakura muttered, lowering her eyes in depression.

Hiro positively scowled now. This wasn't the Sakura he knew. This wasn't **his** Sakura. He wanted desperately to bring the Sakura he loved back… but he wasn't sure how to do it.

Gripping the African-American female's chin and raising it so she'd have no choice but to look at him, the 18-year-old lowered his head so that his face was mere fractions of inches away from Sakura's. She predictably blushed at this gesture.

"Sakura," Hiro whispered, and Sakura could feel his breath on her lips. "You need to get a grip. Moping isn't going to help anything, and you know it. If you feel so strongly about this, you should talk to Tenshi. NOT argue with her; TALK to her. Work it out."

"But," Sakura began to protest, though she was quickly running out of excuses. "What if Tenshi won't talk to me? What will I do then?"

"**Make **her talk to you. Don't take no for an answer. I know you, Sakura, and your stubborn pride doesn't let you take no from ANYONE. Don't start taking it now," Hiro chuckled to himself. With a bit of effort, Sakura managed a weak smile. "See? That's better," the 18-year-old smiled, stroking the Cherry Blossom Princess's cheek.

"Thanks, Hiro. I feel a lot better," Sakura admitted. And he could see it. The fog in Sakura's eyes was starting to dissipate, allowing them to return to their normal chocolate color.

"That's my Sakura-chan," Hiro said fondly, pecking Sakura tenderly on the lips. "I love you," he reminded her as he hugged her again. Sakura glowed from the warm sensation Hiro's words gave her.

_Okay…this time, I'm gonna tell him! _the 16-year-old thought determinedly as she pulled back and looked Hiro in the eye. "I l—"

"SAKURA!!!" Hitori cried, rushing into the room at that moment. Hiro let go of Sakura and assumed a more formal position next to her as Sakura cringed.

_Dammit! That child has the worst timing EVER!_ her thoughts complained. "What's wrong, Hitori?"

"Mom just said that she could sense the presence of a Demon Larvae! You'd better get…" The breathless teen took into account the scattered pieces of wood all over the floor. "…What happened to your door?" she wanted to know, raising a curious eyebrow at the Cherry Blossom Princess.

"Never mind the door!" Hiro grunted, who it seems was rather disgruntled by the moment being ruined by his sister as well. "We've got to get going. Let's go, Sakura!" he commanded, grabbing the 16-year-old's hand. She nodded with determination.

"Right!" Following Hiro out of the room and rushing down the stairs, Sakura was half-way across the foyer when she heard her name being called. She turned.

Tenshi was standing across the hall, staring at her friend/sister as she toyed with something around her neck. Upon further inspection, Sakura realized with a fresh wave of emotion that it was the locket she was supposed to give Tenshi in a more suitable way for her 16th birthday.

"Tenshi…" Sakura breathed, taking an uncertain step towards the star-obsessed teen.

"…Thank you for the locket," Tenshi said quietly, a sad smile playing across her features. "I love it." Another wave of guilt washed over Sakura at neglecting her best friend.

"Tenshi," she began again, knowing there was so much to say, but not quite sure how to express it. And then Hiro butted in.

"Gomen nasai for interrupting," he said, his face urgent. "But we have to go, Sakura. RIGHT NOW."

"But—!" Sakura protested, her longing to be with her sister stronger than ever.

"You guys can have a HUGE crying fest when we get back, I promise," The Knight of Wind assured her, his haste making him a smart aleck. And then, without the consent of Sakura, he swung her up into his arms effortlessly and took off into the sky.

"I'M SORRY, TENSHI!!!" The African-American female called over Hiro's shoulder as the two disappeared over the clouds. Tenshi ran to the door, watching them until they were out of sight.

_No, Sakura. __**I'm**__ sorry. For everything, _the now 16-year-old thought, her face forlorn.

"So what are you waiting for?" a male voice asked as he came up behind Tenshi. She didn't have to turn around to know it was Kai.

"What do you mean?" She asked him, still staring out into the sky where Hiro and Sakura had vanished.

"You want to make it right, don't you?" he challenged, placing his hands on Tenshi's shoulders and leaning towards her ear. "So go make it right. Go after her."

Tenshi didn't need to be told twice. With a quick peck on the cheek as a thank you, Tenshi dashed off into town, a determined fire blazing in her chestnut eyes.

_I'll make amends to you, Sakura. One way or another, I'll make it up to you. I promise._

* * *

Finally, Sakura and the Leafe Knights had arrived on the scene. There was the usual Demon Larvae wreaking havoc in the town and sending terrified people screaming everywhere.

"Okay, here we go. You ready, Sakura?" Hiro asked, turning to said disabled Pretear. Sakura nodded once, her face set. Needing nothing more, the 18-year-old once again swung the Cherry Blossom Princess into his arms and flew toward the Demon Larvae, his hand clasped within hers. "Do you see the core?" he inquired, making sure to keep a safe distance from the Demon Larvae. Sakura searched, her eyes narrowed intently, before she spotted it in one of the eyes of the Demon Larvae.

"There!" she declared, pointing.

Hiro nodded. "Alright, let's hit it with everything we've got!" Concentrating, Sakura amplified Hiro's borrowed Leafe into an attack and shot it at the core of the Demon Larvae. It hit dead on, but it of course wasn't enough to finish the job. Sakura grit her teeth in frustration.

"What's wrong?" Hiro asked, noting the sudden tenseness in Sakura's body.

"I **hate** being weak…" the 16-year-old growled, glaring at the Demon Larvae with a burning hatred. Before Hiro could attempt to convince Sakura that she was NOT weak, another monstrous roar was heard, along with the shocked cries of the rest of the Leafe Knights.

Hiro whipped around, Sakura held protectively in his arms when they both emitted a gasp at the same time. Somehow, there was ANOTHER Demon Larvae there, which looked like an exact duplicate of the first, and it was sucking to Leafe right out of the rest of the Knights! Perched on top of this Demon Larvae, as if it were a throne, were Keiko and the evil bastard himself, the Prince of Darkness.

"_**Sorry to drop in on such short notice,**_" the evil being purred, baring his teeth in a menacing smile. "_**But I simply couldn't miss out on the fun this time. Plus, my Demon Larvae HAVE been getting pretty restless with hunger lately…**_"

"Monster," Hiro hissed, and he sent an attack through the tentacles draining the Leafe Knights of their power. They dropped to the ground like flies, not having enough energy to fly out of harm's way.

"_**Tch. Temper, Wind Knight. No wonder Keiko left you,**_" Kenji tutted, slipping an arm around Keiko's waist and pulling her to him. A stab of resentment pierced Sakura's heart as she watched The Prince of Darkness flaunt Keiko around like she was a trophy to be envied.

"You don't know ANYTHING about Keiko and me!!" the Knight of Wind spat, just as outraged as Sakura was by this odd pairing.

"_**Jealous?**_" the Prince of Disaster inquired, smirking in triumph. Hiro opened his mouth to retort angrily, but he caught Sakura's eye, and his anger left him quite suddenly as he stared down at the 16-year-old in his arms.

"…Not anymore," Hiro spoke quietly, a tender look in his eyes as he stared into Sakura's. She flushed with pleasure and smiled up at Hiro.

This sentimental moment seemed to get under Kenji's skin. With a scowl, he sent the Demon Larvae they had turned their back on after them. The monstrous creature obediently shot out its tentacles and caught Hiro and Sakura, separating them at once.

"Ah! Hiro!!" the Cherry Blossom Princess cried as she was wrenched away from him.

"Sakura!!" Hiro called back, attempting to reach out to her. Keiko snapped her fingers, and the Demon Larvae began to drain both of them of Leafe. The Leafe Knights on the ground, who had only recovered a bit of their energy, could only watch in helpless desperation as their strongest Knight and their Pretear cried out in pain from having the Leafe shocked out of them.

"_**HA HA HA! Not so tough NOW, are you, Wind Knight??**_" the Prince of Darkness laughed gleefully, a rather mad gleam in his miasmic purple eyes as he flew up to watch Hiro suffer up close and personal.

"Ki-kisama…" Hiro growled, wincing from the pain. Sakura watched a few feet away, the drainage making a struggle out of keeping her eyes open.

_No… _she thought in despair. _It CAN'T end like this… I never got to apologize to Tenshi, I never got to say goodbye to my parents, I never… _The tears spilled over at this point. _I never got to tell Hiro that I loved him…_

"What's with the negative past tense, Sakura?!" an angry voice shouted from down below. Mustering her remaining strength, Sakura turned to see who had shouted.

Tenshi stood below, a safe enough distance from the Demon Larvae closest to her, and looking more pissed off than Sakura had EVER seen her.

_…Tenshi…??_ Sakura thought in bewilderment, her eyes widening marginally.

"Yeah, it's me," Tenshi answered Sakura's thoughts, nodding her head in confirmation. "And to tell you the truth, you're REALLY ticking me off by giving up so easily! Where's the raging fire that usually appears whenever someone opposes you?! You'd better find it QUICK, or I'll kick your butt MYSELF if the Demon Larvae doesn't finish the job!!" the star-obsessed teen ranted at her friend/sister.

A rush of gratitude went through Sakura as she grinned thankfully down at Tenshi, who beamed back. "Go get'em," she encouraged, giving Sakura a thumbs-up.

_Thank you so much, Tenshi,_ Sakura thought, knowing in her heart that Tenshi would be able to hear her.

"Who the hell IS that girl??" Keiko wondered out loud, wrinkling her nose in disgust of the positive influence Tenshi was being. Kenji merely glared down at the now 16-year-old. Since they were both distracted, so was the Demon Larvae, and its grip slackened on Sakura and Hiro. Taking advantage of this momentary weakness, Hiro shrugged out of the tentacle that was holding him and flew swiftly to Sakura's side, plucking her out of the vile monster's grasp as well.

"You okay?" He checked as he pulled the Cherry Blossom Princess into his arms. She grinned determinedly at him.

"I'm great. And, thanks to Tenshi, I'm great enough to Prete now." Sakura claimed.

Hiro's eyes widened in surprise. "How can you be sure?" He questioned. Sakura's smile brightened and she gestured towards her chest.

"I feel it in here," she said, touching the part of her chest where her heart was concealed, beating strongly. "I **know** I can do it now."

Hiro hesitated, then nodded, holding out his left hand. "Only if you're sure…" he reminded her.

Sakura merely smiled with confidence, placing her own left hand in Hiro's. The familiar burst of energy returned, though it was more powerful than usual, as if making up for its previous absence. The rush of Leafe reached the Leafe Knights, reviving them where they made contact.

Now strong enough to stand up, the Leafe Knights watched in awe as Sakura and Hiro merged. There was a brilliant flash of gold light at first, but then it faded and Wind Pretear Sakura came into view.

"ALRIGHT!" the little Leafe Knights cheered, and the older Knights grinned in relief and satisfaction.

"Oh no!" Keiko cried, realizing too late what had happened. Nevertheless, she sent the two Demon Larvae at Sakura while she and the Prince of Darkness hovered a safe distance away from the battle.

"_**Ready?**_" Hiro asked Sakura one more time. Sakura nodded, calling forth the Wind Blade and taking an offensive position.

"More than ever," she replied.

And Sakura charged into the path of the coming Demon Larvae.

With apparent ease, the Wind Pretear sliced through the cores of the Demon Larvae, as if they were nothing more than paper. Starting to feel just a little smug, Sakura grinned down at Tenshi in success.

"That's the way to do it, Sakura!" She cheered her friend/sister on, delighted that Sakura had her fighting abilities—and her spirit—back.

"BITCH!" Keiko snarled, charging furiously at the Wind Pretear. Before she could reach her destination, however, the other Leafe Knights got in her way.

"No you don't!" Saitoshi bellowed in fury, each of the Leafe Knights attacking Keiko simultaneously. Keiko cursed, blasting her own dark energy at them as the Knights' relentless attacks continued to assault her.

And now that Keiko was distracted, that left the Prince of Darkness to be dealt with.

Realizing this, Sakura turned her blade on Kenji, the fire in her eyes frozen over. "You're next," she promised in a low growl.

In response, Kenji began to laugh. A very cold, very amused laugh. Sakura glowered at him in rage. "It's NOT FUNNY!!!" she roared.

The Prince of Darkness gave her a humoring look, still chuckling darkly to himself. "_**But of course it is,**_" he contradicted, grinning coldly. "_**After all, you still **_**love **_**me, don't you?**_"

Pain shot through Sakura's chest, and she realized, with a searing sensation, that he was _right._

Abruptly, as if her sudden anguish was the cause, Sakura and Hiro defused from one another and began to plummet to the ground.

Before Sakura could open her mouth to scream, Hiro swooped in and caught her, making sure to put her safely onto the ground before collapsing next to her.

"Hiro?!" Sakura cried out in alarm, moving to take hold of his hand. He opened his eyes to meet Sakura's with what seemed like a great effort.

"I'm… okay," he muttered, cringing. "I guess I didn't have enough Leafe to Prete effectively…"

"Oh, Hiro…" Sakura whispered, clasping his hand between both of hers.

"_**How convenient,**_" the Prince of Darkness noted, floating above Sakura and Hiro. "_**The 'strongest' Knight weakened, and a defenseless Pretear. Hmm… since your friends are busy, I guess I should take this opportunity to kill the both of you. 'Like killing two birds with one stone'… **_" Kenji chuckled at his sick little joke, summoning a miasmic purple spear and aiming it at Hiro and Sakura. The Knight of Wind sat up with difficulty, and made an effort to push Sakura out of the way.

"Get out of here," he growled, when Sakura wouldn't budge. "If you die, everyone'll be at the mercy of darkness…"

"But if YOU die—!" Sakura began to object, but was cut off by Hiro's lips meeting hers. When he pulled back, his auburn eyes burned with a fierce intensity that made the Cherry Blossom Princess's heart rate increase.

"I love you," Hiro said, his voice low and husky. "How do you think I'd feel if you died right here, and I could do nothing to stop it?"

"But… Hiro…" Sakura argued, though the look in his eyes was making her susceptible to his will.

"Stay alive, Sakura," Hiro pleaded, pushing her away again. "For me." Sakura bit her lip, and she could feel tears pushing at her eyes, but her mind was working in overdrive.

_What do I do? I don't want Hiro to die… but he wants me to leave him here… Oh, WHY am I debating this with myself?! I'm stronger than he is right now! He can't tell me what to do!_

Squaring her shoulders, Sakura shoved Hiro away from the path of the spear, which, for some reason, Kenji had not thrown yet. He seemed to be enjoying watching the turmoil happening below him.

"Sakura! What are you doing?!" Hiro demanded to know, as he was forced away from the line of fire. Sakura glared at him in defiance.

"If you think I'm going to be responsible for your death, you have another thing coming, buddy!" she snapped. "It's me he wants… I'm the one who betrayed him…"

"_**Are you two quite through arguing about who should die for the sake of everyone else?**_" the Prince of Darkness finally inquired, apparently bored with the situation now. Sakura turned on him with a determined mask in place to hide her fear and sadness. She didn't want to die so young… but if she had to choose between a life without Hiro and death…

"Do your worst, dastardly villain," Sakura mocked, a hint of a smirk gracing her cocoa-skinned face. Kenji rolled his eyes.

"_**Very well then. Say goodnight, Pretear,**_" He hissed, flinging the spear at her. Sakura closed her eyes, focusing all her attention on breathing properly, and waited for her impending doom.

After a few seconds full of suspense, nothing happened.

_Why aren't I gasping in pain yet?_ the African-American teen vaguely wondered to herself.

Suddenly, the air around her changed. A tense, almost shocked tenor filled the empty space that the suspense had left behind. A bit alarmed at the sudden shift in mood, Sakura opened her eyes.

The 16-year-old noticed three things at once. One: Hiro was still safe on the sidelines, though he was gaping at something Sakura hadn't noticed yet. Two: the Prince of Darkness still hovered above them, wearing an expression similar to Hiro's, though it was overshadowed with fury and disappointment. And three: Kenji's spear didn't make it to Sakura because it had already gone through someone else… someone with long, mahogany hair…

Sakura's eyes widened to the point where she thought that they might pop out of their sockets if she wasn't careful.

"**TENSHI!!!!**" The Cherry Blossom Princess screeched, as her sister/friend sunk to her knees, her hands clutching the handle of the spear. Sakura's outcry roused the Leafe Knights from their heated battle with Keiko, and when they looked around to see what the matter was, their faces mirrored the same mask of shock as Hiro's.

"NEE-CHAN!!!" Himura cried, flying over to his blood sister's side, frantic. The other Leafe Knight soared over as well, forgetting everything else for that moment. Keiko took this chance to maneuver over to Kenji and teleported them both from the scene, Kenji still in a state of shock and fury that his spear did not reach his intended target.

"Pull the spear out! Someone pull it out!!" Sakura shouted. Kato and Saitoshi obliged. Once the spear was removed, Sakura laid the star-obsessed teen back, her head resting in Sakura's lap. Tenshi began to cough up blood, but her smile wasn't dulled at all as she looked up at Sakura.

"Thank goodness. I thought I wasn't going to make it…" she said, and she turned her head to spit out a mouthful of blood. Sakura stared down at her best friend, disbelief widening her eyes. She began to shake her head uncomprehendingly.

"Tenshi… WHY?" Sakura asked. She didn't understand. How could Tenshi just throw herself in the way like that??

"Well, I couldn't just stand by and watch him kill you, could I?" Tenshi murmured, frowning up at her sister. "So ready to go down without a fight… you're so selfish. Besides, I had to make amends SOMEHOW for treating you the way I did last night, right…?"

"But to do this—" Sakura whimpered, her breath becoming unstable as the truth began to sink in.

"Hey, I just saved your life. The LEAST you can do is **thank** me," the ice blue-banged teenager grumbled; she smiled weakly up at Sakura in a joking manner. Sakura attempted a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes and vanished quickly.

"Tenshi," Sakura took a deep breath, trying to stabilize her unsteady heart beat, before continuing. "You _can't_ die." Tenshi's expression became sarcastic.

"Not to rain on your parade, Saku-chan, but with a gaping hole in my gut, I'm not lookin' so good," she informed her sister. Sakura tried to laugh, but it came out more like a strangled sob.

"Nee-chan…" Himura sobbed, crystal tears flowing down his face. Tenshi reached over and brushed one away from his cheek.

"Hey, what's with all the tears?" she chided softly. "You're a boy, toughen up. Besides, I'll be alright. I'm just… going home." Smiling once more at Himura, Tenshi turned her attention back to Sakura, who wasn't fighting her tears anymore.

"Aw c'mon. You too, Saku-nee?" she complained, laughing softly. The effort made her cough up a lot more blood.

"Tenshi… please…" Sakura begged, hiccupping slightly. But the light was fading from Tenshi's eyes. And fast. Nevertheless, she smiled at Sakura again.

"Tell Kai I love him… and I'm sorry. Gomen nasai, Sakura-nee…" Tenshi's eyes shifted to a point above Sakura's head, and her smile became slightly shocked, but pleased.

"Dad? Mom?" She whispered in awe. The light in her eyes finally went out, and Tenshi was gone.

It took a few seconds for this fact to register in Sakura's head. When it did, her eyes filled with tears once more, and her mood instantly went to denial.

"Tenshi," she called, as if speaking to Tenshi could bring her back. When the body in her arms didn't respond, Sakura shook her a bit, calling her name again.

"Tenshi. No, Tenshi, come back. Come back. Come back, Tenshi!" Sakura began to shout hysterically, shaking the teen vigorously. Himura buried his tear-stricken face into Kato's shoulder, for he knew that nothing Sakura would say could bring his sister back.

Finally, the anguish was too much, and Sakura's cry reached the heavens.

"TENSHIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

**A/N****: …..**

**Hiro: What? Nothing smartass to say this time?**

**MuraSakura: (Shoots Hiro a look) Shut up. YOU try writing about your best friend's death…**

**Hiro: …Are you CRYING?**

**MuraSakura: (Quickly) No… … … …yes. (Sniffs) It's just… the thought of Tenshi, LIFELESS like that. (Shudders) I didn't like imagining it…**

**Hiro: …Well, at least she died for a good cause. **

**MuraSakura: True. But I can only IMAGINE what this'll do to the story…**

**Hiro: (Snickers) Kai's gonna mutilate you.**

**MuraSakura: I KNOW. ****DX**** PLEASE, people reading this, REVIEW and express how AWFUL you feel that Tenshi's gone so I'm not killed as well! **

**-MuraSakura**


	15. Chapter 15: The Last Straw

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary**** All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N****: (Sighs) For the record, Mishi-chan made me start this chapter early, so if it comes out earlier than usual, thank her instead of me. .. But I doubt it since school's in full swing right now, as most of you should know. (Hangs her head)**

**Hiro: Oh quit whining. You'll be wishing you were back in school when you have to go out and get a REAL job.**

**MuraSakura: (Gives Hiro an appraising look) Who are you? My father?**

**Hiro: EW. No. That'd be wrong on SO many levels…**

**MuraSakura: …Ick. Thanks for THAT visual. (Rolls her eyes) So anyways, I'M SO GLAD!!! My last chapter got the EXACT response I wanted. I TOLD Mishi-chan she was loved, but she wouldn't listen to me until she saw the reviews. (Narrows eyes at Mishi-chan)**

**Mishi-chan: Well you know what, punk? SHUT-UP!!!! Oh, and to all the reviewers that cursed the authoress or yelled at her for killing Tenshi: I love you.**

**MuraSakura: (Shakes her head) Yeah, story of my life. My best friend gets killed off and I get all the heat from it. XD I'm actually still waiting for Kai to shank me in my sleep. (Cringes)**

**Hiro: Well, if you're lucky, you won't feel anything. You'll die immediately. (Smirks)**

**MuraSakura: ….Shut up, Hiro. **

**Kai: (walks in, glaring… with Tenshi's kendo stick) . . . . . . Sakura. . . .**

**MuraSakura: O.O Oh snap, crackle and pop! (Takes off) It's just a story, Kai, I swear!! Mishi-chan, call him off!! **

**Mishi-chan: (pulls out lawn chair and popcorn) Nope! This is too much fun!**

**Kai: (glaring and chasing after authoress)**

**Hiro: (Steals some of Mishi-chan's popcorn) I bet 5 bucks that Sakura outruns him.**

**Mishi-chan: (slaps Hiro's hand from popcorn, not looking away from the scene) Bet ya 5 bucks that I'll have to call Kai off because she can't.**

**Hiro: (Rubs his now sore hand) Deal.**

**MuraSakura: I HATE YOU BOTH!!! (Panting) Okay, people, while I'm BUSY over here, Mishi-chan will have to do the disclaimer. SHE OWES ME THAT MUCH! Then the answer to the reviews and the chapter. Now I gotta go! (Runs faster)**

**Kai: (chases authoress out of building)**

**Mishi-chan: I don't owe her squat; she flippin' killed my character. But, she doesn't own Pretear. But, she does own the Leafe Knights (this generation's) and Sakura Petala. I, the infamous Beta, own Tenshi. Invisible Love owns Hiniku and Beyblade owns Kai. But he likes me more! (looks over at Hiro) Hey, that means she owns you.**

**Hiro: (Puts his head in his hands) Do NOT remind me. Let's just start the chapter.**

**Mishi-chan: Alright! On with the reviews replies and then the chappie! And for those of you who read this, you will find out who won the bet at the end of the chappie! Now, ONWARD, MY ARMY OF TENSHI-LOVERS!!!**

**Shadow C.****: Who says you can't get sentimental, Kage? And thank you very much. (Smiles) Um… counting this one, there are about… (counts on her fingers) …three chapters left, I think. O.O Whoa. Only three. That's like, a whole era ending. .. Oh well. I'll find something else to keep going strong. With Mishi-chan as a beta, I guarantee it. XD**

**LadyElfDragon****: Thank you very much, Virali! (Smiles in appreciation) And as you can see from the earlier ranting Authoress's Note, Kai's not takin' the news so well. (Cringes) Yeah, don't worry, Kenji will get his…eventually. (Shifty look) And Mishi-chan sends her love for your concern, LOL. **

**Cookie2718****: It's okay, you can cry if you want to. I ended up crying myself. XD Your welcome, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!**

**Starrychica82****: (Hides behind Hiro) DON'T KILL ME! Kai's already trying to do that!! (Sees Kai coming, Wooden Stick of Doom in hand) KYAHHH!! (Takes off) Sorry Starrychica82, and here is your chapter!! DX**

**Mishi-chan****: …You're hilarious. Now DO something about the smirking blue-haired freak!!! (Cringes, as she is still running from Kai)**

**Mika3103****: I'm sorry for making you cry, Mika. .. I've had a serious case of "Torture-The-Cast" Syndrome for the past two chapters. (Counting this one.) XD Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

**Okay, let's take a break from the silliness for a second and dedicate this chapter to a fallen warrior: Tenshi Tsukino-Petala. May her cheerful and free spirit be happy, wherever it is. She died for a good cause, and we shall never forget. **

**Rest In Peace, Tenshi.**

**Chapter 15: The Last Straw**

**Recap**

"_**Say goodnight, Pretear,**_" he hissed, flinging the spear at her. Sakura closed her eyes, focusing all her attention on breathing properly, and waited for her impending doom.

After a few seconds full of suspense, nothing happened.

_Why aren't I gasping in pain yet?_ The African-American teen vaguely wondered to herself.

Suddenly, the air around her changed. A tense, almost shocked tenor filled the empty space that the suspense had left behind. A bit alarmed at the sudden shift in mood, Sakura opened her eyes.

The 16-year-old noticed three things at once. One: Hiro was still safe on the sidelines, though he was gaping at something Sakura hadn't noticed yet. Two: the Prince of Darkness still hovered above them, wearing an expression similar to Hiro's, though it was overshadowed with fury and disappointment. And three: Kenji's spear didn't make it to Sakura because it had already gone through someone else… someone with long, mahogany hair…

Sakura's eyes widened to the point where she thought that they might pop out of their sockets if she wasn't careful.

"**TENSHI!!!!**" The Cherry Blossom Princess screeched, as her sister/friend sunk to her knees, her hands clutching the handle of the spear.

* * *

"…Sakura…" 

The Cherry Blossom Princess didn't respond. The tears that moistened her face only stopped flowing because her body couldn't produce enough tears to keep up with her sorrow. She clutched her dead sister's ice-cold hand, not wanting to let go.

"Sakura," Hiro tried again, placing a hand on Sakura's trembling shoulder. She shook him off.

"…She's gone…" the 16-year-old whimpered, staring down at Tenshi's peaceful face. Though she had died with her eyes open, Himura had reached over and closed them; not being able to see the spark in her chestnut orbs was too much to bear.

"I know," Hiro murmured. The sun was setting in the distance, and it would have been a breathtaking sight under better circumstances. "Sakura, it's getting late. We should head back."

"I'm not leaving her."

"Sakura—"

"I'm NOT LEAVING HER HERE!" Sakura roared, rage at what had happened beginning to push through the agony.

"No one said you had to leave her, Sakura," Saitoshi reasoned, his smooth tenor voice calming the tora-like teen slightly. "We can bring her with us if you want. Besides, everyone will… want to know what happened."

At the mention of the others left in the mansion, Sakura's eyes widened in astonishment. _Oh no… Kai and Hiniku are going to hate me for not protecting her…_

"Want me to carry her?" Kato offered, though the excitement of the prospect was snuffed out by the tragedy of Tenshi's untimely demise.

"I want to carry her," Moki protested; it was with less fervor than usual.

"I'LL carry her," Sakura finalized, silencing the Knights of Light and Ice with a glare when they opened their mouths to protest. Swiftly, she swung Tenshi's body into her arms, surprised at the lightness, and marched forward with a brave face. The other Knights followed silently.

Mother Nature seemed to know that an angel had returned home today, leaving loved ones behind. Dark storm clouds loomed overhead and the wind blew fiercely. Before long, it began to pour down on the small mourning party. But Sakura marched on, refusing to fly to the mansion when Hiro offered. She would walk there, and if she caught a cold in doing so, then too bad.

_This is only a small part of my punishment,_ Sakura thought to herself as the freezing rain soaked through her clothes. _I'll never forgive myself for what happened today. From now on, every year on July 26__th__, I'll stand out in the rain all day. And if there's no rain, I'll sit in a tub full of ice water. None of it will compare to the part of my heart that has frozen over. Forgive me, Tenshi._

They finally reached the mansion. Hiniku must have been waiting for their return, because she threw herself out of the door as soon as they were in sight of the Awayuki Gates. As they neared, the fiery Asian went to meet them.

"About time!" she began to rant, oblivious to the ominous aura around the Leafe Knights and Sakura. "Kai and I were getting worried! You guys took so long to get back! Sakura, why are you carrying Tenshi? Is she sleepi—?" And then Hiniku's dark brown orbs found the blood staining Tenshi's clothes. Her eyes bulged, and she began to rant at double speed.

"Ohmygosh! What happened?? Is Tenshi-chan alright? WHERE did all that BLOOD come from?? WHAT HAPPENED, SAKURA?!?" she spazzed out, flapping her arms much like a frantic chicken about to be beheaded.

"Tenshi… she… she's…" Sakura choked on the words. She couldn't bring herself to say the words that would bring Hiniku's world crashing down, just as Sakura's had. Hiro gave her arm a comforting squeeze.

And, suddenly, Kai was there. Sakura vaguely wondered if he had been watching everything from the roof. He stood next to the still-uncomprehending Hiniku; his crimson eyes hardened at the sight of Tenshi's stillness.

"……… What happened…?" he asked. His voice was quiet, but there was still a menacing edge to it.

Sakura bowed her head in shame. "I'm **so** sorry, Kai. My attention was off her for a few minutes, and before I knew it…" The 16-year-old couldn't bring herself to finish the rest of the sentence. Kai looked up to glare at Sakura, and she could see the anguish behind his cold crimson eyes.

"She was your best friend **and** your sister," he growled, and Sakura winced at his tone. "HOW could you be so careless as to—!"

"Stop it," Hiro commanded, stepping in between Sakura and Kai with a grim expression. "None of this is Sakura's fault."

"Explain to me why it isn't her fault," Kai challenged, now glaring at Hiro.

"It wasn't Sakura's fault that Tenshi showed up at the fight. She had asked that Tenshi and Hiniku stay behind for the past few fights since she wasn't up to par with her powers," the 18-year-old reminded Kai.

The Russian blader took a challenging step forward. "Are you saying it's MY fault then?" he interrogated, gnashing his teeth together.

"No," Hiro replied, blinking in surprise. "Why would I say that?"

Kai dropped his gaze to the ground. "…I sent Tenshi after Sakura," he admitted grudgingly.

Sakura's eyes widened at this confession. "But Kai… why…?" she inquired, astonished.

Kai's jaw visibly tightened. "I thought I was helping. How was I to know I was sending her to her death?"

Abruptly, Kai turned around and dashed into the forest behind the mansion.

"Kai, wait—!" Sakura called after him, but her attempt was useless. The blue-haired teen had disappeared.

"…Hold on, back up," Hiniku commanded, the horrible truth beginning to dawn on her. "Are you guys saying… that… Tenshi… she's _**dead**_?" The word sliced through the fresh wounds in Sakura's heart once again. Not trusting her own voice, she merely nodded. Horror flashed through the fiery Asian's eyes.

"No way…" she instantly denied, shaking her head.

"It's true," Sakura muttered bitterly.

"No. You guys are trying to trick me with this sick, cruel joke," Hiniku said, trying to convince herself rather than catch the others in the act.

"Why would we joke about something like this?" Hiro barked, getting impatient with Hiniku's disbelief.

"Hiro," Sakura reprimanded him softly, throwing him a sharp glance. He fell silent.

"This isn't funny, Sakura," Hiniku continued, a panicky edge worming its way into her voice. "C'mon, Tenshi, get up. This REALLY isn't funny…"

Deftly, Saitoshi reached over, grabbed one of Hiniku's hands, and pressed it to Tenshi's arm. Hiniku flinched away from it.

"…She's cold…" She said without sound.

"She's gone, Hiniku. She's gone," Saitoshi whispered. Finally, they had gotten through to Hiniku. With a sob, she sank to her knees, her hands covering her face in dismay. Saitoshi broke away from the group to sit by Hiniku, wrapping his arms around her shaking figure.

"No, not Tenshi, not Tenshi, no, please, not her," Hiniku hiccupped, the agony smothering her. Swallowing the fresh lump in her throat, Sakura walked past Hiniku, Tenshi still held securely in her arms. The Leafe Knights dispersed, each going to find some way to deal with the stress. Only Hiro remained with Sakura.

"Where are you taking her?" he ventured to ask.

"Her room," Sakura answered, looking straight ahead. "Tenshi needs her rest." Hiro did nothing but nod, following silently, as the private mourning parade continued up the stairs to Tenshi's room.

* * *

"Sakura, I'm coming in," Hitori alerted the African-American female. For once. She stepped in to find Sakura fiddling with the loose threads of her black dress. Frowning disapprovingly, Hiro's twin came over and slapped Sakura's hands away from the threads while pulling out a pair of scissors. 

"Don't do that," she scolded, using the scissors to trim the loose threads. "You'll unravel the pretty dress I bought for you."

"Sorry," Sakura apologized, watching with a bleak face as Hitori worked on her dress. "I just don't like wearing dresses."

"Oh come on," Hitori rolled her eyes at Sakura's distaste of the frilly dress she was wearing. "Tenshi would want you to dress up for this."

Sakura raised an eyebrow at the 18-year-old twin. "No, Tenshi would gag if she could see what you're forcing me to wear right now, Hitori."

Hitori laughed at this, and Sakura couldn't help but join in. After they had settled down, Hitori fixed Sakura with a solemn gaze. "So, are you feeling up to this?" she questioned carefully.

Sakura rearranged her features to match Hitori's. "I need to be here for this. Tenshi would definitely want that," she assured both herself and Hitori. The latter smiled reassuringly at Sakura and linked arms with her.

"Let's go then," she urged, pulling the 16-year-old along. "Family and friends sit up front for the funeral."

The two moved outside into the Awayuki Gardens, where the funeral was being held. It was a beautiful sight, with flowers entwined in the chairs and filling vases around the fountain. Tenshi's casket was sitting in front of the fountain, surrounded by white roses and dogwood blossoms, Tenshi's favorite flower. Tenshi's body was lying in the casket in a white, flowing dress, her mahogany hair curled and fanned out against the pillow it was resting on. The peaceful look on her face was still there, though all the color was now gone from her face. Her hands were crossed over her chest, and the locket Sakura had given her was resting on top of her hands.

A fresh wave of tears welled up inside Sakura as she strode down the aisle to pay her last respects to her friend. She brushed a stray strand of mahogany hair from Tenshi's pale face and moved to sit in between Hiniku and Kai, pulling out a wad of tissues to mop up her face.

Hiniku was in a black dress as well, though it was kimono-style, and her black hair was pulled into an elegant bun with black chopsticks through it. Kai was clad in a black trench coat, though he wore it open, his black pants and shirt ensemble visible. Hiniku was already sobbing silently into her hands, while Kai merely stared ahead, his crimson eyes frozen over. Sakura nudged Hiniku, handing her a tissue, whom accepted it gratefully.

Then the music of the hired band picked up, and every one took their seats. Looking across the aisle from where she was sitting, Sakura wasn't surprised to see Yumi, Hajime and Himura sitting in the front row, all of them in silent tears.

_This isn't fair,_ The Cherry Blossom Princess thought dismally. _As soon as they found their daughter, they lost her again… this time, __**forever**_. Sakura brought herself out of her depressing thoughts and watched as Himeno made her way to the front. She was wearing a flowing black dress, and her reddish-brown hair was down for once, her ends flipping out. She went up to the casket, touched Tenshi's hand lightly, and then turned to address the mourning crowd.

"Thank you all for coming today," said Himeno, her beautiful face grave. "I know this must be extremely hard on many of you, for Tenshi was a bright and cheerful soul, who was able to brighten anyone's day with just a smile. But I'm sure that she appreciates all the love you have shown by coming here. And I believe that she is happy now, up in that beautiful place above the clouds." Himeno smiled at this comforting thought. "This ceremony is for anyone who wishes to share all the good times they've had with Tenshi. So, if anyone has anything to say, now is the time."

Yumi and Hajime stood up and moved towards the front. Himeno hugged each of them in turn, and went to sit down next to her husband. Yumi and Hajime stood there for a second, their hands intertwined, with Yumi trying to pull herself together enough to speak.

"We… a long time ago, Hajime and I, we had to do something that nearly crushed my heart to bits," Yumi began, and Hajime wound an arm around her waist for support. "Because of financial difficulty, we were forced to give up our precious children. It was a decision I regretted for a good part of my life… but then, by chance, my husband and I happened to run into Tenshi again. Her smile was always bright, though she had lost everything, and she was a joy to be around. I regret not being able to raise her myself; she was a great girl. I hope that she will be even happier in the afterlife with the people that raised her." Yumi's voice broke, and, turning to kiss Tenshi's white cheek, she allowed herself to be pulled back to her seat by her husband. Himura climbed into his mother's lap and hugged her as soon as she sat down.

Hiniku was the next to rise. She strode up to the front and made a brave attempt at a smile. "Tenshi was a great friend," she said. "Though she and Sakura DID pick on me and my height for a good part of my life." An appreciative chuckle went through the crowd at Hiniku's bluntness. The fiery Asian grinned briefly before continuing. "She was really useful to have around whenever you couldn't remember what it was you were supposed to be doing, or if you didn't understand a specific problem in Algebra II, or if you were about to fall asleep during one of our teacher's boring lectures, or if you had nothing to do on a weekend or in the summer, or—" Realizing she was rambling, Hiniku cleared her throat and went on.

"It was like she was a fallen star, come to bless us with her light. Yeah… that's how it was. I'll miss her a lot." Deciding she was done, Hiniku made her way back to her seat, giving Sakura an expectant look as she sat down. Taking the hint, the 16-year-old braced herself, but was surprised when Kai stood up instead. He had been silent ever since yesterday, so Sakura wondered what it was he wanted to say.

The silent blader stood in front of the mourners, the frost in his eyes melting. "…Energetic. Strong. Beautiful," Kai began. He was so quiet that much of the mourners had to strain to hear him. Sakura quirked an eyebrow.

What was Kai saying, and where was he going with it?

"Perky. Slightly Temperamental. Optimistic. Loving. These are the things I'll miss about Tenshi the most, though I'll miss her more. She's my angel. Now and forever."

The mourners seemed touched by Kai's words, the people who knew him even more so. Not even Sakura and Hiniku knew the depth of which Kai loved Tenshi. Instead of returning to his seat, Kai strode out of the garden to be alone. Sakura wasn't sure, but as he passed, she could have sworn she saw a tear glide down his cheek.

Now it was Sakura's turn. She surprised everyone by pulling out a boom box and a couple of microphones. She stood in front of the casket and turned to the mourners, turning one of the microphones on.

"I think everyone pretty much said it all," Sakura admitted, looking over the crowd. "Tenshi was, is, and will be loved and missed forever. But before this ceremony ends, I'd like to contribute by singing a song that was perfect for the occasion." The tora-like teen glanced over at Hiniku. "Hiniku, if you don't mind?" Sakura beckoned to the fiery Asian.

Raising an eyebrow at Sakura's mysterious request, she got up and approached Sakura, taking the other microphone. Smiling serenely, Sakura turned to the crowd of mourners once more. "This is for Tenshi."

The Cherry Blossom Princess stooped down and pushed "Play" on the boom box. A melancholy melody began to float over the garden. Counting the beats in her head, Sakura brought the microphone to her lips and began to sing.

"_What I thought wasn't mine,_

_In the light, was one of a kind,_

A precious pearl," 

With a nod from Sakura, Hiniku sang the second half of the verse.

"When I wanted to cry, 

_I couldn't 'cause I_

_Wasn't allowed_."

Pouring their sorrow into the song, Sakura and Hiniku sang the chorus together.

"_Gomen nasai,_

_For everything._

_Gomen nasai,_

_I know I let you down._

_Gomen nasai 'til the end,_

_I never needed a friend_

Like I do now…" 

Stepping back, Sakura let Hiniku have the first half of the next verse.

"_What I thought was alone,_

_So innocent,_

_Was a delicate doll,_

_Of porcelain._"

"_When I wanted to call you_," Sakura sang.

_And ask you for help,_

_I stopped myself._"

"_Gomen nasai,_

_For everything._

_Gomen nasai,_

_I know I let you down._

_Gomen nasai 'til the end,_

_I never needed a friend_

_Like I do now…_"

The mourning crowd was swaying to the music, most of them crying again, touched by the words in the song. It was a miracle that Sakura and Hiniku could keep their voices steady during the song, for they were crying as well. Hiniku once again took the first half of the verse, and Sakura sang the second.

"_What I thought was a dream,_

_A mirage,_

_Was as real as it seemed,_

_A privilege._"

"_When I wanted to tell you,_

_I made a mistake,_

_I walked away…_"

"_Gomen nasai,_

_For everything._

_Gomen nasai,_

_Gomen nasai,_

_Gomen nasai,_

_I never needed a friend,_

_Like I do now._

_Gomen nasai,_

_I let you down,_

_Gomen nasai,_

_Gomen nasai,_

_Gomen nasai 'til the end,_

_I never needed a friend…_

_Like I do now…_"

The response to the song was an appreciative applause. Brushing away the tears that flowed down her face, Sakura turned to the still body in the casket, grasping her sister's hand for a brief second.

"Goodbye, Tenshi," she whispered, her voice breaking on her goodbye. Turning away from the white face in the casket, Sakura turned to find the rest of the mourners heading back to the mansion for the after-party.

Sakura wasn't in the mood to party. How could she act like nothing was wrong when the shooting star in her sky had exploded? No. She wouldn't go to that stupid after-party. She wasn't in the mood to be cheered. As she turned to walk in the opposite direction the crowd was going, Himeno called her back. She was standing with the Tsunami family. Grudgingly, Sakura headed back to see what they wanted, though she didn't feel like being around people right now.

"The Tsunamis and I were discussing what we should do with… Tenshi's body," Himeno informed Sakura as she joined the group. Sakura tensed at this thought. She hadn't thought about what they'd do with the body.

"…And you've decided to… what?" the 16-year-old wondered, anxious about the answer. Yumi smiled gently at Sakura, though the smile was tinged with sadness.

"We were hoping you would decide, actually," she told Sakura. The new Pretear blinked in surprise.

"Me?" she asked, pointing at herself, just to make sure they were all on the same page. Hajime nodded.

"You've been better family to her than us. So we feel you should be the one to decide," he said decisively. Sakura took a minute to ponder this.

For one thing, there was no way of doing this without inconveniencing someone.

If Tenshi were buried here, once Sakura went back to Kyoto, she'd never be able to visit her grave.

But if she somehow got Tenshi's body buried in Kyoto, Yumi and Hajime wouldn't be able to visit without traveling a ridiculous distance away.

What was she to do?

Suddenly, inspiration hit Sakura.

"I've got an idea," she said slowly, the details working themselves out in her head. And then she cringed. "But it's kind of disturbing," she confessed.

"What is it?" Himeno asked, a curious eyebrow arched. Sakura chose her words carefully before asking.

"Well… what if we, maybe, cremated Tenshi's body… and divided the ashes among anyone who wants them?" Sakura suggested. Himeno and the Tsunamis stared at her.

"You were right," Hajime said, a slightly uncomfortable look on his face. "That IS a disturbing idea."

"But, you have to admit, it DOES make sense," Yumi defended.

"Yeah," Himeno agreed. "Even if it is a slightly perverse idea." Sakura cringed again.

"Okay. That's what we'll do, then," Himeno finalized, and then she turned to Sakura. "Are you coming back up to the mansion? Our chefs put their hearts into making a feast for the occasion," she tempted.

The anger, resentment and sorrow that was lapping at Sakura's mind harmlessly now roared into a powerful wave and sucked her under. As her emotions clashed, something in Sakura's face must have alarmed Himeno, because her eyes widened slightly.

"No," Sakura responded a bit menacingly. "I'm not in the mood." Turning swiftly on her heel, the tora-like teen marched down deeper into the gardens, not even pausing to cast a glance at Tenshi's peaceful form in the casket. Hajime moved to Himeno's side, staring after Sakura.

"Himeno…" Hajime looked over at the former Pretear, a worried expression on his face. "Do you think she'll be alright? I mean, if she gets too depressed—"

"She'll be fine," Himeno cut him off firmly, and she spun around and headed back up to the mansion, the Tsunamis in tow. "There's no way the darkness will pull her under," Himeno continued, more to herself than Hajime. "She's much, much stronger than that." Upon entering the mansion, Himeno spotted her son standing next to Saitoshi, glancing around, as if looking for someone.

_…But just in case she isn't…_ Himeno thought, biting her lip, as she approached Hiro.

* * *

Sakura stood above the pond, not seeing her reflection, not seeing the water, not really seeing anything. The memories of Tenshi's last moments were fresh in her mind. 

_"Tenshi… WHY?" Sakura asked. She didn't understand. How could Tenshi just throw herself in the way like that??_

_"Well, I couldn't just stand by and watch him kill you, could I?" Tenshi murmured, frowning up at her sister. "So ready to go down without a fight… you're so selfish. Besides, I had to make amends SOMEHOW for treating you the way I did last night, right…?"_

_"But to do this—" Sakura whimpered, her breath becoming unstable as the truth began to sink in._

_"Hey, I just saved your life. The LEAST you can do is __**thank**__ me," the ice blue-banged teenager grumbled; she smiled weakly up at Sakura in a joking manner. Sakura attempted a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes and vanished quickly._

_"Tenshi," Sakura took a deep breath, trying to stabilize her unsteady heart beat, before continuing. "You __**can't**__ die." Tenshi's expression became sarcastic._

_"Not to rain on your parade, Saku-chan, but with a gaping hole in my gut, I'm not lookin' so good," she informed her sister. Sakura tried to laugh, but it came out more like a strangled sob._

_"Nee-chan…" Himura sobbed, crystal tears flowing down his face. Tenshi reached over and brushed one away from his cheek._

_"Hey, what's with all the tears?" she chided softly. "You're a boy, toughen up. Besides, I'll be alright. I'm just… going home." Smiling once more at Himura, Tenshi turned her attention back to Sakura, who wasn't fighting her tears anymore._

_"Aw c'mon. You too, Saku-nee?" she complained, laughing softly. The effort made her cough up a lot more blood._

_"Tenshi… please…" Sakura begged, hiccupping slightly. But the light was fading from Tenshi's eyes. And fast. Nevertheless, she smiled at Sakura again._

_"Tell Kai I love him… and I'm sorry. Gomen nasai, Sakura-nee…"_

Hearing the crunch of footsteps on grass behind her, Sakura whipped around. Hiro paused at the fierce look on Sakura's face, streaked with tears.

"…Mom said you'd be here," he said in a form of a greeting; he stayed where he was.

"I came here so I could be **alone**," Sakura hissed, stressing the word.

"Well, sometimes it isn't wise to be alone when you're hurting," Hiro said, venturing to take a step forward.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not stupid enough to attempt suicide, Hiro Awayuki," she snapped. Hiro raised an eyebrow at the usage of his full name.

"I know that. I just want to make sure that you're… okay, I guess."

"'Okay'? OKAY?? Of COURSE I'm not okay, baka!!" Sakura screeched. Hiro was being so IRRITATING right now! Fine. If he wanted to bug her, then she'd take some of her anger out on him. He brought it on himself, after all.

"Sakura," Hiro attempted to reason. "I KNOW you're upset—"

"You have absolutely NO idea," the 16-year-old snarled. "Tenshi died because of ME. It's my fault. That death was meant for me. I shouldn't be here right now… How would YOU like to live with that knowledge for the rest of your life?!"

"It is NOT your fault, Sakura," Hiro said firmly, taking another step towards her.

But Sakura had her face in her hands, her anger fading rapidly into despair. "…Why her…?" she whispered into her hands. "Why did it have to be Tenshi? Why did **she** have to be the one to suffer…?"

"…Sakura…" Hiro whispered, and he reached out towards Sakura. Just then, the Cherry Blossom Princess' head snapped up. Hiro's hand froze in mid-air. There was a very strange look in Sakura's eyes, as if she just had a very startling epiphany.

"Because she was born…" she whispered, her eyes widening as the words left her lips.

"What?" the Knight of Wind inquired, his brows coming together in a frown.

"…I see it now…" Sakura continued in a hushed voice, as if she were speaking to someone on their deathbed. "Everything that lives suffers until they die. Just like the voice told me in my first Demon Larvae battle. Why didn't I listen to it before? Then it wouldn't have hurt as much; it would have been easier…"

"Sakura, what are you saying?" Hiro demanded to know, definitely alarmed by her disturbing revelation. Sakura looked over at him, a deranged smile on her face.

"Don't you see, Hiro?" she asked, gesturing widely to everything in general. "Everything that lives suffers. But if everything DIES… well, then there's no more suffering, is there?"

"…_What_??" The Knight of Wind hissed incredulously. He took Sakura by the shoulders and shook her vigorously, as if trying to shake the sudden insanity out of her. "You're scaring me, Sakura. Cut it out."

"Let go of me, Hiro," Sakura said, frowning slightly.

"Why are you suddenly saying all these crazy things?" he berated, gripping her shoulders more tightly.

"You're hurting me," the 16-year-old complained, her frown becoming more defined.

"Okay, so Tenshi's dead; it's not the end of the world! Get a grip!"

"I said LET **GO**!!!" Sakura screeched, and suddenly, a wave of darkness reared out and blew Hiro back. The 18-year-old shielded his face with his hands and cringed, but the wave just knocked him back a few feet. He lowered his arms and stared at Sakura, appalled.

Sakura's appearance was changing. The black mist was consuming her, and her black mourning dress grew all the way to her ankles and faded to a dark purple, black stylized flames rearing up on the sleeves and from the bottom of the dress. Her collar was open and flared out, connected by a crisscrossing string. Her flower necklace disappeared, and a chain with a gem that looked like a yellow and black eye took its place. Her hair grew longer and wild looking, and a black and purple tiara appeared among her brown tresses. What looked like a black and purple butterfly tattoo materialized around her right eye, and her hair obscured her left eye. The darkness, satisfied with its work, dissipated, and the transformation was complete.

Hiro had seen it. He had watched it happen. But he couldn't believe it. It was like reliving his worst nightmare all over again. Sakura was no longer his Sakura anymore.

She looked like a princess among disaster. She had become a Princess of Disaster.

"No…" the Knight of Wind breathed, still not daring to believe it. "Not again… Sakura, please, don't do this…"

Sakura gave him a bleak smile. "But Hiro, you don't understand. I'm _helping_ this way. If everyone dies, there will be no more suffering, no more pain. It will make the world a better place…"

"Are you CRAZY?? It'll make the world an EMPTY PLACE!!!" Hiro roared, desperate to get through to her. He couldn't have this happen to him twice. He wouldn't.

Sakura looked down her nose at him. "That's your problem, Hiro: you can't think outside the box. But now that I've seen the light, I'm going to do something about it."

The mist returned and it spun even faster around Sakura than before. Hiro's eyes widened; he knew he was going to lose her. But still, he fought.

"NO! SAKURA, DON'T GO!!!" he cried, running forward, his auburn eyes locked with hers.

"Goodbye, Hiro…." Sakura whispered, an echo of Keiko's departure. And she was gone, dissipating into darkness. Hiro ran through the remaining darkness, grasping desperately, but only touching air. A strong gust of wind blew through, assisting him by ridding him of the darkness, but even then it was in vain; Sakura had already gone.

Frustrated, Hiro threw his head back and yelled at the dark clouds above.

"SAKURA!!!!!!"

* * *

Kenji sat in his crystallized throne, listening to Keiko's pointless chatter as she sat beside him on the left arm of his throne. He was bored out of his mind. 

He hadn't sent out another Demon Larvae since the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend. Stupid Tenshi, getting in the way. He hated when things didn't go the way he wanted.

Suddenly, the Prince of Darkness sensed another dark being in their midst. He held up a hand to silence Keiko, who cut off in mid-sentence with a perplexed look.

"_**I think,**_" he began, a slow, cruel smile forming on his lips, "_**that we have just gained an ally.**_"

Keiko was about to ask what in the world Kenji was talking about when Sakura strode into view. Her face was devoid of emotion as she stood before her ex-boyfriend, stopping a few feet short of his throne.

"_**Saku-chan,**_" Kenji greeted, though there was nothing endearing about his tone at all. He inclined his head towards her. "_**To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure of your presence?**_"

"I finally understand what your goal is," Sakura replied, taking a few more steps forward. "I want to help."

Kenji raised an eyebrow. "_**Do you, now?**_" he inquired, his purple eyes intent on her bleak brown ones. "_**And you're not the least bit upset with me for killing your little friend?**_"

"It was for her own good," Sakura whispered, staring back into the Prince of Disaster's eyes.

Kenji smiled coldly and beckoned Sakura forward, patting his lap. Realizing what he wanted, the 16-year-old approached him and lowered herself onto her knees, resting her cheek on his left knee.

"_**So, you have come to pledge your allegiance to me?**_" the Prince of Darkness asked, stroking Sakura's wild, curly hair.

"Yes," Sakura said softly.

"_**And do you renounce all your previous responsibilities as the Pretear?**_" he inquired.

"Yes," replied Sakura, lifting her head to stare into Kenji's eyes, her brown orbs earnest. "My only purpose in life is to serve you."

The cold smile still in place, Kenji leaned over and kissed Sakura's forehead. Keiko looked very much like she had just been punched in the gut, but the Prince of Darkness wasn't paying attention to her.

"_**From now on,**_" he muttered, his forehead leaning against Sakura's, "_**you shall be known… as the Princess of Tragedy.**_"

* * *

**A/N****: (Was finally caught by Kai) X.X**

**Mishi-chan: (smirks) I win! That's five buck-a-roos, Hiro-chan!**

**Hiro: (Grumbles) Damn. Stupid Sakura. She needs to work out more often. (Hands Mishi-chan five dollars)**

**Mishi-chan: Hiro, have you ever thought about what she's doing instead of working out?**

**Hiro:… Writing this fic. -.-**

**Mishi-chan: Exactly, so SHUT-UP! I still won. XD (hugs Kai) Good Kai.**

**MuraSakura: (Sighs) You're so hurtful, Nee-chan. T.T Anyways, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! …Well, the majority of you will probably hate me for it, but still! XD I'm expecting to get just as much uproar as the last chapter cost, so don't let me down!**

**Hiro: …She wants to get yelled at for doing bad things in her chapters. What a nut.**

**MuraSakura: Ah shaddup, Hiro. Review please!**

**-MuraSakura**


	16. Chapter 16: In The End

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary****:**** All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N****: (Whistles) Chapter 16. WOW. This is THE last chapter…. .**

**Hiro: HALLEJUAH.**

**MuraSakura: (Glares at him) Oh shut up, you know you'll miss it too, smartass. (Rolls eyes)**

**Hiro: (Snorts) Miss being pushed around by you? I think not.**

**MuraSakura: (Raises eyebrows) We'll see. Okay, you all know what's up. Answer to reviews, and then comes the great finale of my wondrous Pretear fic, Chappie 16. Thanks for sticking with me this long, and enjoy!**

**Shadow C.****: (Huffs) I WOULD say, "get a hobby", but Tenshi and I have been saying it so much that I just give up. I am WASHING my hands of you! (Scrubs with giant bar of soap to display her point) XP**

**Cookie2718****: I'm glad you were surprised! I don't like being predictable. (Makes face) XD Thanks for reading!**

**KremlinDusk****: ROFL. Thanks a lot, Dusk-chan. XD And, this is the last chapter, didn't I say that? o.o (Ducks flaming balls of fire thrown at her) GET OVER IT, PEOPLE!!**

**Starrychica82****: (Cringes) I'm sorry! But it was just a good plot twist! DON'T KILL ME!! Too many people are already trying to do that! **

**Invisible Love****: …I should shank you. (Gives you dead pan look) I swear, if you find ANYTHING to complain about in this chapter, you shall NEVER be in another one of my fics! NEVAH, I SAY! MWAHAHAHAAAAAA!! (Lightning flashes in background) XD**

**Kinara-chan****: (Shrugs) Well, Kinara-chan, I'm not going to beg you to keep my story onto your favorites. If you don't like the way my story's going, you might as well delete it. Not everything has a happy ending. That's just how life goes sometimes. But, I hope you WILL enjoy this chapter. If not, you can delete it from your favorites. I don't mean to be harsh, but that's how it is. (Is blunt when stating her point)**

**LadyElfDragon****: ROFL. I like you, Virali, I really do. XD Yesh, the end of the world as we know it may appear…unless someone can somehow bring Sakura back to her senses? (Shifty eyes)**

**Takuto-Mitsuki-4evr****: I heart your screen name! XD Well, it took a whole bunch of effort on my part (and some prodding from mi amiga Tenshi) to finish it, but I DID it! And it makes me smile inside. XD I wish you luck on YOUR Pretear fic, and thank you for supporting mine!**

**Yoru****: I like your screen name too. I have a character in one of my stories that shares your name. XD WOOT! I gots chocolate!! (Eats chocolate bar) I apologize for making you cry, but I did too, so, an eye for an eye, I suppose. XD Your English isn't THAT bad, I only saw one or two mistakes. XP**

**Anime166****: LOL. Thank you for your input. I'm sure Tenshi will be thrilled to learn that she has another fan. (Grins)**

**Okay, that's over and done with. Chapter 16 commencing…NOW!**

**Chapter 16: In The End**

"What do you MEAN 'she's gone'?!" Hitori insisted on asking her twin for what seemed like the twenty-billionth time.

"I MEAN," Hiro said again, starting to develop a serious migraine, "that she's GONE, Hitori. She left. She _quit._"

"WHY would she quit?! We NEED her now! IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!" Hitori continued to rant, spazzing out as she paced the floor, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for Sakura's sudden disappearance. Abruptly, the 18-year-old female tensed, and then she rounded on Hiro. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?! YOU were supposed to PREVENT this from happening!!"

Hiro sighed and put his head in his hands. "I know," came his mumbled reply, "I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have yelled at her like that."

"Er…yeah! You shouldn't have!" Hitori quickly agreed, though she was surprised that Hiro had actually blamed himself as well.

Saitoshi sighed from across the room. He was comforting a sobbing Hiniku, who had lost both her best friends in the short time of 3 days. "Well, what's done is done. All we can do is hope for the best now."

"Isn't there SOMETHING we can do??" Gaki protested in frustration.

"I asked my dad. He said it was hopeless," Kato stated bluntly, much like his father. "Once a Pretear turns to the darkness, that's it."

"But Himeno-san was able to bring back Saitoshi's mom!" Moki interjected, accompanied by the chorus of Himura's and Shinta's agreeing voices. "Maybe SHE can do it!"

"I'm sorry, minna-san," Himeno apologized, entering the living room, and everyone turned to face her, "but I'm too old to be able to do anything now. I haven't been the White Pretear for years."

"DAMN it," Hiro swore, as the feeble hope at the mention of his mother's miraculous save many years ago died inside of him. He got up and began pacing the floor, mentally abusing himself for driving Sakura away.

It was like his past was taunting him. First Keiko, and now Sakura. Just when he was beginning to feel again…

"It isn't your fault, Hiro," Himeno told him firmly when the 18-year-old Knight of Wind paused to punch the wall. He turned to glare at his mother.

"Of COURSE it's my fault!" He spat. "I was stupid and yelled at her while she was hurting! I pushed her over the edge; I KNOW that! I pushed her away, just like I did Keiko…"

"Don't you go blaming yourself for that again!" Hitori piped up indignantly. "You didn't MAKE that other girl kiss you!"

"Shut UP, Hitori!" Hiro snapped, and his twin fell silent, an offended expression on her face.

"But she's RIGHT, Hiro," Himeno insisted, fixing her son with a hard stare. "You're no more responsible for Sakura's disappearance then you are Keiko's. You said it yourself: Sakura had a voice in her head that told her that everything would suffer until it died. That was in her first battle as Pretear. You realize what this _means_, don't you?"

When Hiro didn't respond, Himeno answered, "It means that Sakura had darkness dwelling inside of her the WHOLE time. It's just been lying dormant."

A shocked pause followed this statement.

'_So,_' Hiro suddenly realized with a jolt, '_in that first battle, that butterfly insignia on her sword was…_'

"…Is that POSSIBLE?" Kato questioned, his eyebrows puckered. "I didn't think a Pretear could BE a Pretear unless she was absolutely pure of all darkness."

"Actually, son," Came a voice from behind Himeno, "there is ONE such legend that discusses a Pretear turning to darkness before fulfilling the legend."

Kei had arrived, the rest of the old generation of Leafe Knights in tow as well, Hayate included. They were all in their Leafe Knight uniforms.

"There IS?" Kato challenged, sounding thoroughly skeptical about such a legend.

"You mind explaining?" Hiro questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I would," Kei began, a dark look on his face, "but I'm afraid we have bigger problems at the moment."

To answer the quizzical looks he received, Kei merely pointed outside the window.

Red snow was falling from the sky.

"_**On this very lovely evening,**_" The Prince of Darkness began, arms around Sakura's waist, securing her to him, "_**I give to you, my dear Princess of Tragedy, the blue planet called Earth.**_"

The Princess of Tragedy didn't object to his touch, nor to the kiss he laid upon her neck. Her bleak eyes were focused on the blue orb she held within her grasp, a mini version of the Earth. One of her many talons-for-nails was pressed on a certain spot on the orb, and a red dot was forming from where her nail touched it.

"_**Do you like it?**_" Kenji asked, his purple eyes intent on her every move.

Sakura smiled. It was a dreary shadow of her normal grin. "It has a certain charm…" She paused. "But there's too much suffering in it for my liking. May I put them out of their misery?"

"_**You may do whatever you like. I've given the planet to you, after all. Enjoy,**_" Kenji purred, kissing Sakura on the cheek before leaving her to her activities. As he strode away from her, Keiko appeared from behind a pillar, glaring daggers at the Prince of Darkness.

"_**Keiko,**_" he inclined his head, not looking the least bit threatened by the scowl on his accomplice's face.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're **doing**?!" Keiko hissed. The Prince of Darkness raised an eyebrow at her disrespectful tone.

"_**Meaning?**_"

"You know damn well what I mean," the blue-eyed girl spat at him. "A few days ago, you were trying to **kill** her, but now that she's SUPOSEDLY on our side, you're all over her!"

"_**Now now,**_" Kenji tutted, smiling his cold smile, "_**jealousy isn't very becoming of you, Keiko.**_"

"I am NOT jealous!!" Keiko cried indignantly, fists clenched.

"_**I beg to differ, Keiko,**_" the Prince of Darkness said quietly, "_**your rage isn't directed at me at all. It's directed at the Princess of Tragedy.**_"

"Since _when_ is she a princess anyway, huh?!" Keiko demanded, sounding close to tears. "She quit being Princess Pretear, so she's not a Princess anymore! There's no such thing as a 'Princess of Tragedy'! Besides, she wasn't even a _good_ Pretear to begin with! She's stupid and ugly and-"

"_**Hold your tongue, Keiko,**_" Kenji ordered, his purple eyes flashing dangerously. Without warning, Keiko burst into tears. She sank to her knees and crawled to Kenji's feet, clutching at the ends of his robe.

"All I want is to be loved, Kenji, that's all I ask," pleaded Keiko, looking pitiful, her pale face streaked with tears. "Why won't you love me? Are you still in love with her? Do you hate me now?!"

Looking disgusted, the Prince of Darkness whipped his robes out of Keiko's grasp. "_**Pick yourself up, you're shaming yourself!**_" He barked, showing no mercy for Keiko. "_**You seem to misunderstand me, Keiko. I love nothing and no one. I cannot feel anything but **__**hate**__**. You sound conceited to think that I have ever loved you. You have proven useful to me, yes, but **__**love**__**? The very thought sickens me; to be in love with someone like you! You'd do better to, as the kids say these days, 'get over yourself'."**_

And he swept past the still-weeping Keiko without another word.

"DIE, DAMMIT!!" Hiro roared, shooting every attack he could at the onslaught of Demon Larvaes. But, of course, it wasn't enough. The army of Demon Larvae continued to rampage, despite the Leafe Knight's many attempts to abate them.

"There are too many of 'em! We need a Pretear!!" Moki yelled as he, Himura and Shinta attempted to fight off a single Demon Larvae.

'_A Pretear…_' That single word brought on a wave of powerful emotions for Hiro, many of them contradictory with one another.

Love. Hate. Joy. Anguish. Irritation. Adoration…

The Knight of Wind lowered himself onto the ground and put his head in his hands, utterly defeated. Saitoshi noticed and, giving his job of keeping the Demon Larvae at bay to the rest of the Knights, (the first generation plus Himeno as the Wind Pretear included) he joined Hiro.

"Hiro, c'mon, we need your help," Saitoshi urged, taking hold of the 18-year-old's upper right arm and tugging insistently.

Hiro would not budge.

"What's the point…?" Came Hiro's grumbled reply. "We can't win and you know it. We're only kidding ourselves by continuing to fight. We _can't _win without **her.** We can't…"

"Hiro—" Saitoshi said, ready to convince the 18-year-old otherwise, through lying if he had to, but he was distracted by the figure that shoved Hiro rather roughly, so that he was kissing the worms in the dirt.

"What the hell??" Hiro yelped, sitting up and spitting out bits of dirt, whipping around to find the culprit.

Hiniku was standing there, her face streaked with tears, and her brown eyes alive with a fury so fierce that Hiro actually backed away a few paces.

"Hiniku, it's dangerous here!" Saitoshi warned. "I asked you to wait at the mansion, please, go back!"

The fiery Asian paid no attention to her boyfriend. All her rage was for Hiro alone.

"How DARE you be so SELFISH right now!!" Hiniku screamed, charging at Hiro again. The Knight of Wind dodged her attack, and Saitoshi was there to catch her. He tried holding her back away from Hiro, but it was proving difficult, since she was putting up a very good fight, seemingly determined to get at Hiro and cause him as much physical pain as possible.

"Hiniku, what-?" The Knight of Sound began to ask, a perplexed look on his face, but again Hiniku ignored him.

"You think you're the ONLY ONE that misses her?! She was MY friend FIRST!! And you think that now that she's gone, you can just GIVE UP?! LIKE HELL!!" Hiniku screeched, this being the first time she ever swore to display her anger. "If I had your powers, I WOULD** NOT** BE MOPING!! I'D BE FIGHTING!! SO DON'T SIT THERE AND FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!"

Both Hiro and Saitoshi stared down at Hiniku, dumbstruck. After a few seconds, the 16-year-old Asian settled down, a few tears escaping her almond-shaped eyes. She stared up at Hiro again, this time in anguish.

"Please fight. For her. For Tenshi. For everyone. Please…" Hiniku implored him.

Something about Hiniku's passionate outburst and the way her eyes begged stirred something that was long dead in Hiro until now: the will to fight. Face set, he gave a reassuring nod to Hiniku, and took off once more into the sky. Saitoshi followed soon after, making sure Hiniku was on her way back to the mansion.

The others still fighting, who had heard Hiniku's dulcet tones, did not know what she said to rouse Hiro's fighting spirit. All they knew was that when Hiro flung his next attack at a Demon Larvae, he had put all of his emotions into it, and had severely damaged the Demon Larvae.

Inspired, the rest of the Leafe Knights, both first and second generation, put their courage and determination in their attacks, sometimes ganging up on one Demon Larvae. One by one, due to their efforts, the Demon Larvae onslaught began to dissipate.

But still more came. That suited Hiro just fine, however, and he took all his negative feelings out on the Demon Larvae, sometimes killing a few all by himself.

"That was for you, Sakura," he muttered, after finishing off a particularly tough Demon Larvae.

"_**Was it, now?**_" Drawled a voice, and Hiro whipped around to meet the eyes of the infamous Prince of Darkness. However, his attention was almost immediately drawn to the dark-skinned girl next to the Prince of Darkness. The one with the brown eyes he both knew and did not know, at this point.

"Sakura…" Hiro breathed, relieved to see that she was alive, and anguished to know that she was not truly alive as long as that man had her by his side. She said nothing in response; she merely stared back at him, her head # slightly to the side, as if in curiosity. Her brown eyes lacked the spark of life, and it looked as if she was just a corpse, reanimated by darkness to do the Prince's bidding. It killed Hiro inside to see his Sakura like that, and he got mad at Kenji all over again.

"What? You ready to die?" The Knight of Wind growled, positioning his hands for another attack. The Prince of Darkness smirked at him, highly amused at Hiro's nerve.

"_**No, we are merely here to put an end to this childish game,**_" Kenji replied, and he glanced over at the Princess of Tragedy. "_**Saku, if you will…**_"

The Princess of Tragedy gave a curt nod and floated forward a few feet, till she and Hiro were only a couple feet apart. Hiro stared at her, his mind full of so many things to say, but so full that he couldn't figure out which to say first.

"Sakura," he began, fixing her with a sincere gaze, "I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier. I shouldn't have done that, I should've known that I'd be breaking your heart, I should've—" Hiro paused to take a breath, realizing there was a lot he should've done. He should've told her he loved her more, that she meant the world to him, that he missed her laughter, her smile, her warm chocolate brown eyes…

The Princess of Tragedy held up a hand to silence Hiro, who was about to go on another spiel about things he should've done for her. The bleak smile was back on her face, and rather than warming Hiro's heart, it left him cold. That smile, if you could call it that, really freaked him out.

"It's fine, Hiro," the Princess of Tragedy responded, "after all, **you** werethe one who made me see the truth. You were the one who helped me to see the error of my ways. Thank you."

This comment did nothing to make Hiro feel better. Instead, he cringed in guilt and pain. **How** could he let this happen? It was all his fault…

"_**Enough talk now, my princess,**_" Kenji ordered, "_**fulfill your duty. NOW.**_"

"Yes, my Prince," Sakura responded, pissing Hiro off, but before he could do anything, the Princess of Tragedy waved her arms, similar to the motion the umpire did in baseball when a batter was "safe." The remaining Demon Larvae disappeared, which was a relief, until all the Leafe they stole seeped into the ground, and dozens of Demon Larvae tentacles shot out from the ground. They grabbed hold of anything that contained Leafe (that is to say, everything) and began draining the island.

Slowly, plants, animals, buildings, people…they began to decay into blackness, they began to fade away. The first and second generations of the Leafe Knights tried to fight against the tentacles that bound them, but it was fruitless. And with every passing second, they grew weaker, and the tentacles grew stronger.

**Yes, that's it…** Encouraged the dark voice in the Princess of Tragedy's mind. **They may be suffering now, but it'll all be over soon…nothing will have to suffer anymore… Everything will be at peace…**

"Yes," Sakura agreed, as she watched the sufferings of the people she once held dear, "it'll all be over soon. Just a little longer…"

Hiro was straining against the bindings with all his might. He refused to accept that there was no hope. He was going to break free, and when he did, he was _going_ to save Sakura, somehow, someway…

"Hiro…I'm not sure how much time we have left…" Huffed Kei, who was not far from the new Knight of Wind. "So, I must tell you the legend. I feel that you have the best chances of bringing your Pretear back from the darkness…"

"Me?" Echoed Hiro, looking confused amidst his straining, "But I'm the one who—"

"Exactly!" Kei cut him off, starting to have trouble breathing now. "You caused it, so now you're the only one who can fix it! Listen to me: the legend states that if the Pretear should ever turn to darkness, the one who means most to her MUST snap her out of it, or she'll _never_ turn back. And if you ARE able to rescue her, she'll become the Golden Pretear and save us all!"

"The Golden Pretear?" Hiro was confused, but there was no time for questions. He stared up at Sakura, frantically searching for a way to "snap her out of it", as Kei said. _But why would she listen to me? _Hiro wondered to himself. _I'm not sure I have enough power to influence her decisions. I pushed her over the edge, yeah, but she was already cracking before that. The only one whose opinion ever mattered the most to her was—_

Hiro's auburn eyes widened, and he quickly gathered what was left of his strength to shout. "Sakura, this is NOT you, you KNOW it isn't!!" The Knight of Wind called out desperately, gaining the Princess of Tragedy's attention. "Think about it! What would **TENSHI **say if she saw you like this right now?!"

Sakura drew in a sharp intake of breath and her eyes grew larger. So many images propelled themselves through her mind, all of them of the girl with the long mahogany hair, her best friend, her sister, her outer conscience…

It was like a spell that had been cast on the 16-year-old was broken. Miraculously, the tentacles from hell vanished, though they had stolen too much Leafe for the island to restore itself. The dead look in Sakura's brown eyes had vanished, and was replaced by numerous emotions at once, almost overwhelming her. She tilted her head back to look at the sky, the first tears in what seemed like forever forming in her eyes.

"………What am I doing………?" The 16-year-old questioned for the first time.

"_**What indeed,**_" hissed an icy and enraged voice behind the Princess of Tragedy, and a hand closed tightly around her upper arm. She was wheeled around to face the Prince of Darkness, and boy, did HE look pissed. "_**Have you forgotten your purpose??**_" He growled menacingly.

Sakura suddenly did not recognize him. What was she doing? Who was this growling at her? Who WAS she anymore??

"I…I…" Sakura stuttered, not knowing what to say, exactly. Kenji's eyes narrowed as he stared into her chocolate brown ones.

"_**Is that EMOTION I see in your eyes?!**_" He demanded to know, his nails piercing through the sleeve of her dress and biting into her skin. She winced in response, but still said nothing. Finally, the Prince of Darkness' rage got the better of him. "_**ANSWER me, damn you!!**_" He roared and, with unnecessary viciousness, he slapped Sakura across the face.

The resulting sound from this action seemed to echo through Hiro's mind as he watched from below, and just like that, his energy returned in a surge—as well as his anger.

"_NAKAJIMA_!!" The new Knight of Wind bellowed, hurling a couple wind blades towards the Prince of Darkness. Said Prince jumped out to the way in time, and his miasmic purple eyes narrowed as he spotted the individual who dared to defy him.

"_**You're challenging ME??**_" Kenji stared at Hiro, the incredulity in his voice questioning Hiro's state of mind.

"Yeah!" Hiro shot back as he threw himself into the air to be level with the Prince of Darkness. "And I'll kick your sorry ass while I'm at it!"

The Prince of Darkness appraised Hiro with a raised eyebrow, and though the 18-year-old look determined, Kenji could tell that Hiro was merely running off steam. Once that was gone, he was most likely to disappear…his remains scattered by the wind.

The Prince of Darkness smirked. "_**This will be fun,**_" was all he said, before hurling a dark wave of energy at Hiro. The Knight of Wind dodged, and the two began their battle, mano y mano.

Meanwhile, Sakura—or the Princess of Tragedy…whichever it was anymore, lowered herself to the ground until she sat there, staring at nothing, oblivious to her surroundings. Thoughts attacked each other in her head as she tried to make sense of what was going on.

'_I'm so lost…_' she admitted to herself. '_Who am I supposed to be? What am I supposed to do?_'

**Fool! **Cried the dark voice, **have you forgotten?! Your mission is to cease ALL suffering in the world!**

/ _By KILLING everything?! _/ Contradicted her conscience, /_ that's NOT helping, sister, and if you think it is, you have MAJOR issues to work out!! /_

**Silence! No one was asking your opinion!**

/ _How about YOU butt out?! This chick has enough problems without YOU plaguing her mind, so get going!! _/

"Ungh…" Sakura groaned, the symptoms of her Stress Syndrome beginning to take effect. Her world was spinning, she felt dizzy, weak and sick all at the same time, everything was fading to black…

And then a _new_ voice intervened.

"_Hold it!_" It cried out, silencing the other two voices in Sakura's mind. The 16-year-old struggled to remain conscious. This voice sounded familiar…but **why**?

"_Sakura,_" the voice began, using a scolding tone that Sakura also found familiar, "_Hiro's right. This is NOT you. Shunning the guy you love when he was just trying to help, running off with the Prince of Darkness, destroying the world when you SHOULD be SAVING it…you're wracking up a LOT of misdeeds, young lady! I'd be careful if I were you, or you won't be able to meet me at the __**crossroads**__ when your time comes…_"

"…Crossroads…?" Sakura spoke aloud, confused.

"_Nevermind that. You KNOW what you have to do, Saku-chan. You KNOW. So do it. Go back,_" the voice coaxed, "_Go back to the Sakura that was __**good.**__ Go back to the Sakura that __**I**__ know._"

The hairs on the back of Sakura's neck raised, signaling to her that she was being watched from behind. Slowly, the 16-year-old turned around…

…To meet the eyes of an angel.

Sakura sat there, stunned. There, before her disbelieving eyes, was _**Tenshi**_, the exact way Sakura had remembered her before she died, but now, she had snow-white angel wings on her back and a shimmering halo over her head. Tenshi had lived up to the prophecy of her name, and had become an angel. Said angel was grinning at Sakura, like this was normal, for Sakura to see her dead step-sister and best friend as a messenger of the heavens.

"T-T-T—" Sakura stuttered. She couldn't say her name. What if, if she DID say the girl's name, that she would disappear, and Sakura would wake up to find this was all a dream, and she was still stuck in the same nightmare that was now her life…?

As if reading her thoughts (like always), Tenshi rolled her eyes. "_No, Saku, you're not dreaming. Pinch yourself all you like, but all you're gonna get is a bruise._ _And if you keep your mouth open like that, you're gonna start catching flies soon too._"

If anyone else noticed this odd phenomenon, they thought nothing of it. But the rest of the Leafe Knights and Himeno were busy trying to restore their strength, so they probably noticed nothing. And Kenji and Hiro were too wrapped up in their battle to the death to acknowledge a certain angel near-by.

"What…what are you doing here…?" Sakura finally managed to choke out. Tenshi gave her an "Are-You-STUPID??" Look.

"_To keep you from destroying all of mankind!! DUH!!_" She shouted, as if the answer was plainly written in the air, and Sakura was just being dense. "_What the HECK were you thinking anyway?! I did NOT kick the bucket so you could turn into an evil witch bent on making the world go black!!_"

As Tenshi floated there, ranting on and on about how this was NOT cool, and how Sakura should have known better than to give into the Prince of Darkness, it made the 16-year-old so nostalgic for the old days that tears crept into her eyes.

"_And_ _what's more—hey! What are you blubbering about??_" Tenshi demanded to know, shocked out of her rant. Sakura sniffled somewhat pathetically, but she managed a watery smile.

"I'm…just happy to see you again, Tensh…**really** happy…" the 16-year-old confessed, brushing away her tears. Tenshi smirked.

"_Well, if you're so 'happy', then WHY, pray tell, are you makin' everyone else MISERABLE?? Saku-chan, this isn't right!!_"

"I know, I know," Sakura admitted, looking ashamed of herself. "It's just…I got confused, and I—"

"_Got confused by WHAT??_" Tenshi interrogated. "_Your brain, or your heart??_"

"Uh…my mind, I guess…" Answered Sakura after a moment's hesitation.

"_Well then, your solution is simple, Saku,_" Tenshi crossed her arms and fixed Sakura with a hard gaze. "_What's your _heart_ telling you?_"

"……"

"_I thought so. You haven't been listening to your heart,_" Accused the angel, and Sakura averted her eyes again. "_Well, what's it saying now?_"

The 16-year-old closed her eyes and blocked out everything, save for Tenshi and the beating of her own heart.

"…Basically, it's saying everything YOU'VE been telling me, Nee-chan," Sakura responded at last. Tenshi nodded sagely and beamed.

"_Of course. So do the smart and RIGHT thing, and listen to us then! Although my death DID suck, it happened so that you could __**live, **__Sakura, NOT for you to become a zombie slave to darkness!! Baka…_" The 16-year-old angel bopped Sakura over the head in a playful manner, which surprised, saddened, and made Sakura happy all at the same time. She could FEEL it…

A new strength flooded Sakura's body. She felt super-human, like she could do anything just by lifting a single finger. Reaching out, the 16-year-old grasped her friend's/sister's hands and squeezed them, a full, genuine smile lighting up her face for the first time in ages.

"Tenshi…thank you," Sakura said, her voice fervent with gratitude. All of a sudden, the 16-year-old began to glow with an odd, golden light. Tenshi blinked in surprise, but said nothing, and watched as the golden light enveloped Sakura like a cocoon. The others on the ground attempting to regain their strength also watched in awe.

"It's happening…" Kei whispered to himself.

Inside the golden light cocoon, Sakura was filled with a warmth she didn't realize she missed until now. All of the dark, bitter and hateful thoughts in her mind vanished, to be replaced with hope, love, _possibility_.

'_It's okay,_' Sakura thought to herself, only slightly aware that the clothes on her body were morphing, '_I caused a lot of damage, but it's never too late to fix your mistakes. And that's just what I'm going to do. Pain and suffering is a part of life; it may happen, but that only means that happiness is just around the corner. I just need to hold on to hope…and I'm sure I'll make it._'

The golden light cocoon abruptly burst, blinding the others watching on the ground.

"What the-?!" Himeno cried out, shielding her eyes from the intense light.

The abnormal light continued to shine brightly for a few more seconds, and then it was gone as suddenly as it came. Everyone on the ground glanced up warily, and their mouths opened in awe.

A pair of large, golden butterfly wings were unfurling from Sakura's back, flecked with lilac sparkles. A shimmering golden ball gown with a lilac slip visible, a matching pashmina wrapped around her shoulders, had replaced Sakura's dark outfit. Golden heels adorned her feet, and a tiara consisting of gold and lilac flowers graced her tresses. The 16-year-old's hair was no longer wild and curly-looking, but it had been shortened to its normal length, and it fanned out elegantly at the ends. Sakura's flower choker had returned, only now it was lilac to match, and flower markings had appeared near the dark-skinned teen's eyes: one gold and one lilac.

Finally, she opened her eyes, and the transformation of the Golden Princess Pretear was complete.

"_Whoa…nice threads,_" Tenshi complimented, eyeing Sakura's new outfit. Sakura gave the angel a dazzling smile in response.

Meanwhile, despite the blinding light a few moments ago, Hiro and Kenji were still going at it like there was no tomorrow. For every blow landed on the other, it was returned ten fold. The bad news? Hiro was quickly running out of steam. The Prince of Darkness realized this, and did everything he could to make sure the Knight of Wind had no leeway to pull through. They were, after all, fighting to the death.

"Oof!" Hiro grunted, after a particularly nasty hit from the Prince of Darkness knocked the wind out of him. He suddenly lost the ability to stay airborne, and fell to the dead earth with a sickening crash. Kenji followed after him, smirking all the while. When he landed, the 17-year-old conjured up his dark sword and pressed the point to Hiro's throat.

"_**How pathetic. Is that all you have?**_" The Prince of Darkness taunted, chuckling darkly. Hiro merely glared up at his oppressor, rubbing away a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. Kenji's smirk widened. "_**Being beaten to a pulp with the rest of your team ragged and the love of your life in the palm of my hand. I'd say you don't have much to live for, Awayuki. Oh well. Call me ending your existence a 'favor' then, if you wish,**_" the Prince of Darkness 'consoled', barely concealing an evil grin as he raised his blade…

…And struck a blade of gold. Being caught off-guard, Kenji stepped back and stared, both shocked and angered by the pair of raging chocolate brown eyes staring defiantly back at him.

"You're done hurting my friends, Kenji Nakajima. And you're DEFINITELY through with using me as your pawn," Sakura growled, raising her blade of gold threateningly. Hiro, being shielded by Sakura, stared up at the girl in wonder. She had truly snapped out of it…

"_Don't sit there like a baka, MOVE!_" A certain angel ordered, pushing Hiro out of the way. She could sense that this would be no easy battle for her friend/sister, and because of this, she had to make sure nothing would hinder Sakura, as far as she could help it.

"T-TENSHI??" Hiro exclaimed, growing more and more perplexed by the second. What in the world was this dead chick DOING here??

"_Yes, it's me. Now shut your pie hole and focus on getting your strength back! Sakura will need your support from the sidelines, that much is certain._"

"_**How—how can you…how dare you…**_" The Prince of Darkness sputtered, tongue-tied by the whole situation.

"You know, that's a good question. How is it that I managed to be able to find myself?" Sakura contemplated, secretly mocking Kenji by doing so. "Um, it's called having FRIENDS, Kenji. And uh, guess what? You don't have those on the dark side."

The Prince of Darkness glowered at the Golden Princess Pretear. "_**Without me, you had NOTHING, Petala. NOTHING.**_"

"That's what I thought, too," Sakura confessed, all traces of humor gone from her dark-skinned face, "while I was being swallowed up by darkness—YOUR darkness—I kept telling myself that if I couldn't make the world stop suffering, I'd be living for nothing at all. But, I must have a guardian angel after all, because I was able to see that I DID have a purpose in life, and it WASN'T to destroy the world. It was to SAVE it. That IS why I was named Pretear in the first place. THIS is my job, and now, I'm gonna do it right…"

The Golden Princess Pretear took a fighting stance, her golden blade gleaming all by itself, "starting with ending your reign of terror."

"………_**heh. Heh heh heh heh heh. **__**Ha ha ha ha HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAA!!**_" The Prince of Darkness began to laugh maniacally, earning scandalized looks from those nearby, watching intently. " '_**End my reign of terror', you say?! How foolish! You've had MANY chances to finish me, Pretear, and guess what? I'M STILL HERE!! I've been getting stronger by the hour! So if you think you can defeat me now, I'm going to ENJOY bursting your hopeful little bubble!!**_"

Kenji sprang up and threw himself into the sky, knowing Sakura would follow. Just as he planned, the Golden Princess Pretear soared up after him, her butterfly wings fluttering gracefully. Somewhere in his demented mind, the Prince of Darkness almost found it ironic how the Golden Princess Pretear had butterfly wings: a blatant insignia of the Princess of Disaster.

"I'm not going to play games with you, Kenji!" Sakura called after him. The Prince of Darkness turned and grinned madly at the 16-year-old, any shred of sanity he contained now gone.

"_**Too late, little butterfly; you're already playing!!**_" Cackling, Kenji lunged at the Golden Princess Pretear, his black sword on the offensive. Sakura was ready for him, and she easily countered the assault, as if she had practiced swordplay all her life. "_**Not bad! But let's see you block THIS!**_" The Prince of Darkness challenged, summoning a dark ball and hurling it at the Golden Princess Pretear.

Her expression never changing from its determined state, Sakura twisted her body slightly to the side, and the attack bypassed her, barely brushing her pashmina. Kenji's miasmic purple eyes widened.

"_**Impossible…**_"

"You done? Good, MY turn!" The Golden Princess Pretear raged, rushing at the Prince of Darkness. Quicker than she had ever been in her whole life, Sakura swung her blade of gold, each of the blows barely being blocked by Kenji. "I'm NOT going to be the damsel in distress anymore!" Sakura bit out as she attacked her adversary. "I'm not going to let your lies manipulate me anymore! I'm not going to let you hurt the innocent anymore! I WILL destroy you!"

The Prince of Darkness grunted in irritation, and suddenly the grunt became a gasp as a thrust from her blade he managed to miss made its way towards his abdomen.

"NOOO!" A voice screamed out suddenly, and an awful puncture sound pierced the dark sky.

"…" The Golden Princess Pretear abruptly let go of the hilt of her sword, surprised and a little sickened about what had just happened. Kenji's face had frozen into a mask of alarm, staring down at the stupid girl that had thrown herself in the way of the blade.

"_Déjà vu,_" Tenshi muttered to herself, grimacing from the sidelines.

"_**Kei..ko…**_" The Prince of Darkness choked out, watching as the golden blade that ran through his only true supporter disappeared, leaving a gaping hole in the black-haired girl's gut.

"Kenji…" Keiko sighed, blood trickling out of her mouth without her notice. "My love, my one and only…I tried…" With those words, her frail body fell out of the sky and, before it hit the ground, faded to nothing. Keiko was finally put to rest.

"…I didn't mean for her to get involved," Sakura murmured to herself, trying to find peace inside herself for unintentionally taking the life of a distraught soul. "I was hoping that…after all this was through, that I would be able to save her…"

"_**You…**_" Kenji growled. The Golden Princess Pretear noticed that his fists were shaking. "_**You…you…you…**_"

"_That seems to be the only word he's capable of saying at the moment,_" Tenshi commented yet again to herself.

"Kenji…don't tell me you actually CARED for Keiko…?" Sakura asked, a bit surprised by his reaction. The 17-year-old's eyes flashed at the question.

"_**Don't be stupid! I don't 'care' for ANYONE! All I care about is BESTING YOU!**_" The Prince of Darkness flew at the Golden Princess Pretear, ready to slice her head off with his dark sword. Caught off-guard, Sakura hastily recalled her golden blade, and their weapons clashed with black and gold sparks.

"Sakura," Hiro breathed, rising to his feet, but Tenshi firmly pulled him back down.

"_This is her fight, Hiro,_" the angel pointed out. The Knight of Wind grit his teeth in frustration.

"But what kind of Knights are WE if we can't go out and help the Pretear?!" He interrogated, his anxiousness making him irritable. Tenshi held up a calm hand.

"_If you go out there now, Sakura will only feel that she has to protect you all as well as defeat Kenji. Face it, you're NOT in the best shape to take him on, so it's best that you stay here and just cheer her on. If things get bad, you can go and risk your neck all you want for her, but for right now, at LEAST let her try to hold her own, this one time,_" the angel reasoned. Hiro let out a sigh of irritation, but he knew she was right.

'_Please, Sakura, just be safe. I don't want to lose you too…_'

"Just-how-long-are-you-gonna-keep-this-UP?!" Sakura demanded to know, exchanging countered blows for countered blows with Kenji. Said 17-year-old flashed a crazy grin.

"_**When you're cold in your grave like your little friend over there!**_" He responded, nodding his head to where Tenshi was watching. The angel took on an offended look, but this comment severely pissed Sakura off. In a sudden move, she had knocked the Prince of Darkness' sword out of his grasp and had her own blade pressed against his Adam's Apple.

"Take that back," she ordered, eyes flashing dangerously. Kenji began to chuckle in an insane fashion again.

"_**Whatever for? Just because she's here NOW doesn't mean time has reversed itself. She's still DEA—**_"

The Prince of Darkness flew back a few feet from the force of the blow of Sakura's fist to his jaw, her blade forgotten in the heat of the moment.

"I'm DONE playing with you, Kenji. It ends here. NOW." The Golden Princess Pretear declared, pointing her golden sword at the 17-year-old. The Prince of Darkness' face split into a mad and wicked grin.

"_**I agree,**_" he said and, after a moment's pause, his eyes suddenly became fully miasmic purple; no whites, no pupils, just **purple. **It was like the army of Demon Larvae had then resurrected itself, only they came back more fierce and terrible than before.

"_**Let's see you and your pathetic Knights handle THIS, Pretear!!**_" Kenji dared, laughing maniacally once more.

"_Oh crap,_" Tenshi hissed, eyes widening at the ghastly sight of the tough Demon Larvae army coming towards them.

"No!" Sakura cried, flying towards her fallen comrades. The Prince of Darkness let her go, too wrapped up in the sick and twisted hilarity that was his life.

"Oh jeez, how much MORE of this abuse are we gonna have to take?!" Moki was complaining once Sakura landed near them.

"I'm sorry, guys. I should have finished him earlier…" The Golden Princess Pretear said regrettably. Hiro sent Moki a reproachful glare for bringing Sakura down, and then embraced the girl.

"We know you're doing your best. Don't worry about it," he muttered to her, making the Pretear feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"Thank you. But there IS something I can do for you guys now," Sakura trailed off, going unnaturally still in Hiro's arms as she closed her eyes and focused. All at once, both generations of the Leafe Knights and Himeno began to feel a flood of energy, and concluded that Sakura was giving them Leafe.

"Alright, NOW I'm ready to fight!" Moki declared, and he rushed off to take on a couple Demon Larvae with the help of Himura and Shinta. (After Himura had given Tenshi a quick hug.)

"Arigatou, Sakura," Himeno thanked, flying off to do her job, along with the other Leafe Knights. Hiro lingered behind long enough to kiss Sakura's forehead tenderly before joining his family and friends. The Golden Princess Pretear took a deep breath, preparing herself, when Tenshi laid a hand on her shoulder.

"_Saku, I'm gonna be blunt here,_" the angel began, looking her friend/sister dead in the eyes. "_There's a good chance that, if this goes on, that some of you won't be able to pull through this battle alive._"

Sakura's eyes widened with this news, and she frantically looked around at her friends, her loved ones. What would she do if she were to lose another one of them…?

"_This really DOES need to end, Sakura. Starting with the source of the problem,_" Tenshi concluded, staring pointedly up in the sky. The Golden Princess Pretear followed the angel's line of vision to find the Prince of Darkness floating above all the chaos, looking very much like a god of destruction.

"Right. But…should I just k—destroy him?" Sakura asked hesitantly, looking for guidance in her friend. But the angel shrugged.

"_Hey, I couldn't care less whether you kill him or let him live, I'm already dead. But, you need to think about the consequences of your actions, Sakura, whether you let him live or die. This decision lies with you and you alone…_" Tenshi's voice began to fade and, suddenly, Sakura knew that she had to go, and that the angel couldn't offer her any more advice. She could only observe from above…

Putting on a brave smile, Sakura nodded to the quickly disappearing angel. "I understand, Tensh. Thanks for coming here to help me out. And…say hi to the Big Man up there for me, will ya?"

Tenshi chuckled, returning the smile. "_Can do. See you at the crossroads, Saku. I'll always be watching over you._" And then, just like that, the angel was gone. Brushing away a couple of tears that stung her chocolate brown orbs, the Golden Princess Pretear refocused herself on what she should be doing: restoring the world to the way it was supposed to be, starting with destroying the darkness plaguing it.

The Prince of Darkness watched, his purple eyes displaying no emotion, even as his ex-girlfriend came towards him. Sakura stopped short a few feet from Kenji, just staring at him. A couple of seconds passed with the two oblivious to the chaos happening around them. Abruptly, the Prince of Darkness grinned in a wicked manner.

"_**What? Not going to run me through with your blade like you did to the poor wretch named Keiko?**_" He wanted to know, tilting his head at an odd angle, which only made him look all the more batty. Sakura shook her head in response to his question.

"No, that was an accident. I never expected her to jump in the way like that. Besides, I don't think Kenji would want to die that way anyways."

"_**Oh really? Well, how would you know what I want, Pretear?**_" The Prince of Disaster spat. The Golden Princess Pretear frowned.

"Not to sound rude, but I wasn't actually TALKING about you. I was talking about Kenji, the one **I** knew. The doctor who planned to help people when he grew up. Or does he not remember his dream?"

"_**My…dream…?**_"

Thousands of images pelted the Prince of Darkness's brain at once. The things he studied in school, the countless hours he worked to raise enough money to go to college, the faces of the people who raised him, cheering him on…

Kenji's expression warped into one of anguish, his irises fading back to green. "…Help me. Help me, Sakura…!" He cried, before the darkness took hold once again, transforming his eyes back to that scary shade of purple. However, Sakura had heard the only thing she needed to hear as she decided the Prince of Darkness' fate.

"Hang in there, Kenji! I WILL save you!" The 16-year-old promised. Summoning all her courage, strength and willpower, the Golden Princess Pretear conjured up a blinding beam of light, aiming it straight at the Prince of Darkness. Before the evil being knew what was happening, Sakura uttered a battle cry and unleashed the powerful beam. Her allies all shielded their eyes from the intensity of the light, and the Demon Larvae, not being able to stand it, all crumbled instantly to ashes.

It was as if the apocalypse had arrived, only in reverse. Instead of everything being destroyed, everything was being created again, as if no giant war had gone on between the light and darkness. The blinding light seemed to shine on forever, until, eventually, it began to fade…

* * *

Kenji stirred slightly, his face reflecting pain. Every muscle of his body seemed to ache, as if he had been overworked for a long time, and this was the first time in ages that he was able to rest. Slowly, the 17-year-old opened his jade green eyes.

Everything was blurry at first, but gradually, things came back into focus, like the shapes of trees, buildings, people…

Kenji sat up so fast that he became dizzy from the blood rushing from his head. "Wh-what…?" He questioned to himself, staring down at himself. He was back to normal, in his own clothes, with his own eye color, in his own mind, with his own sanity.

'_It's a miracle…not a dark thought in my mind…_' Kenji realized, a giddy feeling setting in with his realization. "Sakura, you did it! …Sakura…?"

Meanwhile, the Leafe Knights were steadily pulling themselves together from that massive attack. Hiro was the first on his feet, and he appeared to be looking for someone…

And then he saw her, lying on the ground a few feet away. His auburn eyes widened considerably.

"SAKURA!!" Hiro cried, rushing over to the limp body that was the Golden Princess Pretear. Only now she looked mortal again, with her tiger striped purple shirt, her violet flower choker, her black jeans with chains attached to them, and her Ota-Klan bandana. Her dark brown and violet-streaked hair returned to its normal length, and her eyes were closed, as if she were sleeping peacefully after a long day's work.

"Oh no…is she…?" Himeno couldn't bring herself to ask the question as she stared down at Sakura, biting her lip in regret. She was able to be saved by Hayate all those years ago with a kiss, but would the same principle apply now…?

Hiro said nothing in response to his mother's unfinished question. He embraced the fallen Pretear, burying his face into her hair. "You weren't supposed to die, Sakura…" He whispered, and the others who had gathered around looked away, fighting tears themselves. Kenji stood off to the side, finally seeing with his own eyes all the pain his jealousy and rage caused. "You were supposed to live. You were supposed to come back to me…because I love you…"

Hiro's hold on Sakura tightened. "I love you, Sakura. Come back…please…"

"…Hiro, I can't breathe. Can you let go?" Huffed a voice in the Knight of Wind's ear, and he abruptly let go, his tear-streaked face shocked. Sakura was **alive**, though she looked pale and clammy. Hiro also noticed that she was shaking slightly in his arms, and it all came back to him.

"Your Stress Syndrome…" He recalled, feeling like laughing and crying at the same time.

"Uh-huh," Sakura confirmed, swallowing compulsively. "I landed on my feet after I launched that attack, but I got reaaally dizzy, so I wanted to lie down and rest until the world stopped spinning."

Hiro couldn't help himself; he laughed. "I'm so glad you're okay," he admitted, hugging her again, ignoring the jaw-dropping stares of his family and friends. They were shocked that he was actually being open with his feelings in **public**. Sakura giggled weakly and hugged him back.

"I'm glad you all are okay too," She replied, indirectly reminding Hiro that the others were watching. He didn't seem to care, because he didn't let go. Smiling, the 16-year-old tilted her head back to kiss Hiro. "By the way," she said when they finally broke away for air, "I love you, too."

* * *

"Okay, you got everything, Sakura-chan?" Himeno asked, as Tanaka loaded the last of Sakura's things into the trunk of the car. The dark-skinned teen nodded.

"I think so. Thanks for letting me borrow the car to go to the airport," Sakura politely thanked, bowing in the process. Himeno bowed back.

"It was no trouble at all." Himeno answered. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then she grabbed Sakura into a big bear hug. "I'm going to miss you sooo much!" The reddish-brown haired woman squealed, flailing with Sakura in her arms.

"Need…air…!" The 16-year-old gasped, and the former Pretear released her, grinning in apology. Sakura turned to Kenji, who was standing near Hitori. "Are you SURE you want to stay here, Kenji? What about your family back in Kyoto?"

"They'll understand," Kenji replied. "Besides, I think I should pursue my dream of being a doctor here; sort of an atonement, I guess. And I want to get to know my **real** family a little better." Kenji glanced over at Sasame, Takako, and Saitoshi, whom smiled warmly in return.

Sakura smiled as well. "Well, if you're sure. Take care of yourself, you hear?"

"Of course. I'm going to be a doctor, after all," the 17-year-old proclaimed, winking. Sakura laughed and shook her head at him.

"Thanks for everything, Golden Princess Pretear," Hayate thanked, his handsome smile in place that made him look 20 years younger.

"Ha ha. Just Sakura is fine, Hayate-sama. Thank the elder generation of Leafe Knights for me, kay?" Sakura giggled.

"Will do," Hayate replied. Yumi came forwards next, as always, the older reflection of Tenshi.

"Be sure to write once in a while, okay?" She requested, embracing Sakura as well. Sakura grimaced at her.

"I'll have to, won't I? Or else you're gonna come up to Kyoto and steal MY share of Tenshi's ashes!" The 16-year-old accused, holding up a star-shaped casket that hung around her neck.

Yumiko laughed good-naturedly. "No, this is enough for me," she answered, holding up the same casket around her neck.

"Please come back to visit us soon, okay Sakura-nee?" Himura and Shinta pleaded, putting their baby puppy dog eyes to use. Sakura pretended to shriek and threw her arms over her face.

"Okay, okay, I will! Just turn off those hypnotizers before you've got me jumping off buildings too!" The dark-skinned teen cried. At this, everyone burst out laughing.

"Tell Hiniku-nee to write—or IM me too, okay?" Garnet requested. "She and Kai-kun left yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to tell her."

Sakura ruffled Garnet's vivid red hair. "Alright. And I'll personally scold her for you for not saying goodbye," she promised.

"Ma'am!" Tanaka suddenly interjected, his shiny bald head glinting in the morning sun, "we had better leave soon, or you will miss your plane!"

"Oh, okay. Hang on a second," Sakura told Tanaka, and then turned to Himeno. "WHERE is your son? Don't tell me he's refusing to say good bye to me?"

Himeno cringed. "Well, we TRIED to get him over here, but—"

Sakura sighed; that was all the confirmation she needed. "Where is he?" She asked tiredly. Hayate nodded towards the direction of the newly revived Awayuki Garden. "Thanks. I'll be right back," the 16-year-old assured, dashing off in the direction of the gardens. The Leafe Knights and Awayuki women watched her go.

"Well, who would have thought that the LEGENDARY Golden Princess Pretear would have fallen for my BONE-HEAD of a brother?" Hitori questioned, grinning mischievously.

Kato snorted. "Well, like my father often says, 'the real thing **never** seems to fit the legend.'"

* * *

Hiro sat in the serenity of the Awayuki Gardens, slightly ruining the atmosphere with his dark mood.

It wasn't fair. After all they had been through together, and now she was going back HOME? She _was_ home! Here, with **him** was home. It just wasn't fair.

"Don't tell me you were planning on sulking here all day without saying good-bye to me, because if you do, I'm going to hurt you," threatened a voice in his ear. Hiro jumped and whipped around. Sakura was standing before him, her arms crossed and a sour look on her dark-skinned face.

Hiro cringed. She did NOT look happy.

"Well??" Sakura demanded as the Knight of Wind got to his feet. He said nothing; he just stared at her with unreadable auburn eyes. This made Sakura's frown deepen.

"What? I thought we were past all the awkward silences! Honestly, you don't know the next time you'll see me, but you don't even want to come and say—"

"Don't go."

Sakura cut her rant short, staring up at Hiro with wide brown eyes. "…What?"

"_Don't go_, Sakura," Hiro repeated, the pain and loneliness breaking through the apathetic shroud of his eyes. Sakura's eyes saddened in response.

"I told you not to ask me that," the 16-year-old reminded him, sighing softly. Hiro stepped closer to her.

"I'm not asking you, I'm **telling** you: Don't go," he pleaded, cupping Sakura's face. She placed her hands over his, and grasped them in between her own.

"You _know_ I have to leave," the dark-skinned teen said softly, looking up into Hiro's defiant eyes.

"No," the 18-year-old said stubbornly, pulling Sakura to him and putting his arms around her. "You don't have to leave. You can stay here, with us. With me. Your parents will understand…"

"Hiro." Sakura sighed in a way that told the Knight of Wind that he was trying her patience. He ignored it.

"Don't go. Don't leave me, Sakura. Please…"

"You're doing a **very** good job of not making this easy, you know," Sakura commented. That only made Hiro hold on tighter to her. She sighed again. "Hiro, I _have_ to go. Tenshi…her leaving us made me realize that life is too short to stay away from your loved ones. …In actuality, Tenshi and I came here without our parents' permission. They were totally against us going by ourselves, and I got so mad that I convinced Tenshi to leave without them knowing. I'm sure they know where we must've gone, but I also know that they must be worried sick about us. So, I have to go back. I have to tell them what happened…and that I'm sorry. Do you understand, Hiro?" Sakura asked after she was done explaining.

"…" Hiro thought everything she said through, and he realized with chagrin that he was being extremely selfish in keeping her here for himself. She had a family elsewhere that was concerned about her, that wanted her desperately to come home. But even so, his heart ached so painfully at the thought of her leaving. The Knight of Wind buried his face in her hair. "I don't want you to go."

"I know. I wish there was another way too. But then, we all wish for a lot of things in order to escape reality. But one day, you have to realize that, sometimes wishing won't cut it. You have to actually _do_ something about it. Which is why I _have _to go. I'm sorry, Hiro…" Sakura whispered his name, biting her lip to fight the current of tears pushing at her eyes.

The Knight of Wind sighed and released his hold on the 16-year-old, wiping away a few stray tears that managed to escape from her eyes. "…Will I ever see you again?"

Sakura grinned at him, though her eyes were misting over. "Of course you will, baka. It's not like we live on separate ends of the world. I'll come back to you, I promise."

A car horn honked in the distance. This time, Sakura and Hiro sighed as one.

"That's my cue," the dark-skinned teen announced, pointing out the obvious. She began to pull away from Hiro, but the 18-year-old had other ideas. He swiftly pulled her back to him and, despite her promise, kissed her like he would never see her again.

"…Okay. Now I'm ready to set you free," Hiro said, after they had heard the car honk about 6 or 7 times and had broken away from each other.

"Mm. I'm going to have to come back, now, after that kiss," Sakura teased, looking dazed, but happy. Hiro finally laughed for the first time that day. It was a short chuckle, but all the same, it was pleasant to Sakura's ears.

"I'm going to miss you so much," he told her, hugging her to him again, despite the constant honking of the horn now.

"I'll miss you too. But we'll see each other again, Hiro. But until then…" Sakura stood on her tiptoes to peck Hiro's lips. "I love you, Hiro Awayuki."

Hiro smiled, the genuine smile that Sakura had fallen in love with as well. "I love you too, Sakura Petala."

Slowly, the two parted from each other. Sakura waved, turned, and sprinted back up to the front of the mansion. She got in the car, and Tanaka, who was now in a hurry to get to the airport on time, put the pedal to the metal. Everyone, save Hiro, waved from the front of the mansion, shouting things like, "Come visit again soon!" and "We'll miss you!"

Sakura waved enthusiastically back, and was about to turn around to face the front of the car, when something in the sky caught her eye.

Hiro was standing on the roof of the mansion in his Knight of Wind uniform. He was moving his arms strangely, as if doing a complicated dance. But when Sakura looked above him, she saw many, many cherry blossom petals in the air, being manipulated by the wind. Finally, the petals formed words. They said:

"_Good bye is too final. I will see you later._"

Sakura's face broke into a grin, although now tears were flowing. But they were tears of joy.

"Yeah. See you later, everyone. And you, Hiro…"

* * *

Later that night, a helicopter landed on Awayuki Island. The occupants hopped out and headed straight into Awayuki Mansion.

"I'm BACK!!" Kaoru Awayuki, followed by Natsue, announced to the family having dinner in the dining room. "Now, WHERE is that adoring fan of mine??"

Himeno, Hayate, Hiro and Hitori all stared at him, their soup now getting cold.

"…What?" Kaoru asked, blinking cluelessly.

* * *

**A/N****: ZOMG!! IT IS FINISHED, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! Whew!**

**Hiro: What? Just like that? It ended so stupidly!**

**MuraSakura: Shut up, you're just mad 'cause your moment was ruined. (Sticks out tongue at him)**

**Hiro: And why did he show up at the end of the story? Where was he the last 15 chapters??**

MuraSakura: I thought it would make good comedy relief to have him show up at the end. XP

**Hiro: You're NUTS.**

**MuraSakura: And you love me. XP**

**Hiro: …Shut up.**

**MuraSakura: Thought so. XD OKAY! As this wonderful story is closing, I would like to thank absolutely EVERYONE for supporting me, this fic of mine, and for putting up with my outrageously late updates. (Cringes) I could give all the excuses in the world for them, but in the long run, it does not change the fact that my updates are still LATE, so I won't bother with those. I don't know what I'm going to do after this story. I MIGHT start a new OC fic concerning "The Flock", but I'm still debating that idea. And even my New Years fics are coming to a close, slowly but surely.**

**But! Whatever I decide to do, I hope you guys will be as supportive of that as you were with this fic. Once again: Arigatou gozaimasu! (Bows and sends her love to all)**

**Oh yes. Remember to review! Ja-ne!**

**-MuraSakura**


	17. Epilogue: A New Start

**Pretear: Legend of the Golden Princess Pretear**

**Summary****:**** All that Sakura Petala, winner of a contest to meet Mr. Kaoru Awayuki, a famous romance novel writer, expected was to spend the whole summer at Mr. Awayuki's mansion with her best friend, Tenshi. What she DIDN'T expect was to be thrown into a world full of magic, a legend older than Snow White, and the descendants of the original Leafe Knights, as the one they call…Princess Pretear. Lots of OC pairings.**

**A/N****: Heya! Remember when I said that chapter 16 was going to be the last chapter? Well, guess what? I LIED. I was secretly planning on doing an epilogue all along, and no one knew it but Mishi-chan, my beta, and a few others I may have told accidentally. XP So, I'm not gonna answer the few reviews I got for the last chapter here. Instead, I'm just going to jump right into it. So, I BETTER get reviews for this one, understand? I worked my butt off for it! And much love to those who DID review for my supposed "final chapter." **

**I hope you like it! Review and tell me what you thought, please! On with the epilogue!**

**Epilogue: A New Start**

"WHOO! Birthday time is SO much fuuun! Especially decorating for it!" cheered an auburn-haired woman, her arms full of blue and pink streamers as she leaped around, decorating things at random.

"You seem cheerful," commented a jet-black haired young man, his jade orbs looking amused as he watched the woman. "Is that any way to act when you're twenty?"

Hitori stuck her tongue out at him. "I can act any way I want to, Kenji-kun! It's MY party, and I'll spaz if I want to!"

"Duly noted," the nineteen year old responded, taking some streamers from Hitori to help her decorate. "But isn't it your brother's party as well?"

"He doesn't count 'cause he's being so grouchy today." Hitori rolled her eyes.

"You can't blame him. After all, he hasn't seen her in two years."

"Well I know, but still, she tries to write regularly. If you ask me, he should cheer up just a little tonight. It's our birthday, for crying out loud!"

Kenji chuckled under his breath, kissing Hitori on the cheek. "I know, love. But go easy on him tonight. If he doesn't want to stop sulking, don't push him."

Hitori pouted, ignoring the blush heating up her cheeks. "Fine. But only 'cause _you_ asked, Kenji-kun."

"Hey, hey, quit sucking face, you two!" Himeno interrupted, and Hitori and Kenji jumped away from each other quickly. "We've got a lot of things to get through, so if you want this birthday party to happen, you better get in gear!"

"Sorry, Mom," Hitori quickly apologized, she and Kenji dashing off in the direction of the dining room. Himeno sighed and rolled her eyes. No matter how many years she'd gain, Hitori would forever remain a teenager at heart.

* * *

Despite Hitori goofing off with her new boyfriend, the party was ready on time. Both generations of the Leafe Knights arrived, along with their families, and all were having a good time.

…Well, _almost_ all.

A man with short auburn hair stood out on the balcony of the dining room, watching the sky with an unreadable expression in his auburn eyes.

"Hiro! Come _inside_! You're missing your own party!" Hitori scolded, her eyes narrowed at her sulky brother. He sighed in response.

"I would really prefer staying out here, Hitori. Don't let me spoil your fun. Go back inside and have a good time," Hitori's twin insisted without looking away from the night sky. Hitori huffed at him.

"Fine, but don't complain later if I get all the presents!" Hitori flounced back inside to hear the doorbell ringing. '_Huh. Strange,_' Hitori thought to herself, frowning.

'_Isn't everyone here…?_' Deciding to investigate, the twenty year old walked through the hallway to the front door, and pulled it open.

A young, dark-skinned woman was standing on the doorstep. She wore a purple dress top with flower patterns decorating it, the sleeves transparent but covered with the same pattern, and the top of a black camisole was visible near her neckline. Covering her legs was a pair of black slacks, which nearly enveloped her black high-heels. The woman's hair was past her shoulders, and her bangs were swept to the side so that they were nearly obscuring her left eye. A star-shaped casket hung around her neck, as well as a purple flower choker, and she grinned at Hitori.

"Long time no see, Hitori-chan. Happy birthday," the eighteen year old said.

Hitori's eyes nearly bugged out of her sockets. "SAKU—!" she began to shout, but the dark-skinned woman frantically gestured for Hitori to be quiet.

"Shush! You want the whole world to hear you??" Sakura reprimanded. Hitori grinned apologetically.

"Sorry. It's just that, this is such a surprise! You didn't even tell us you were coming!"

"Hence why it was a _surprise_ visit, Hitori-chan," Sakura emphasized, still grinning.

"Well, you came just in time! My brother's not really enjoying his own party," Hitori informed Sakura, rolling her eyes. The eighteen year old frowned, not liking this news one bit.

"He's seriously still sulking? Today of ALL days? Good Lord, I'm GLAD I came!" Sakura huffed, barging in past Hitori. "Where's the sulking baka, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind!"

* * *

All the noise of festivities going on inside did nothing to raise Hiro's spirits. The night was silent outside, and the moon was full. It was his birthday, but so what? Another year of his life spent alone. He couldn't stand it.

When the balcony doors behind him creaked open, he huffed, not wanting to be bothered. "Hitori, I told you, you can go ahead and enjoy the party but I don't _want_ to. Just let me sit out here in peace tonight, okay? You can bug me all you want tomorrow."

"Hitori??" answered a different voice, teasingly offended. "Do I _look_ like your sister to you??"

Hiro froze. Did he dare believe it? That voice that was so achingly familiar…

Slowly, the twenty year old turned around to face a smiling Sakura. His auburn eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. He could do nothing but gape in his shock. Just then, Sakura's smile transformed into a mischievous grin.

"Are you gonna pinch yourself, or should I do it for you?" she offered jokingly.

That was enough to break Hiro out of his daze. Closing the distance between them in two strides, he embraced Sakura tightly.

"You're really here…" he whispered, seeming awed at the prospect. Sakura giggled.

"I told you I'd come back, didn't I?" she reminded him. Hiro pulled back slightly and frowned down at her.

"Yes, but you neglected to tell me _when_," he pointed out, narrowing his auburn eyes in accusation. Sakura cringed briefly, and then changed the subject by reaching a hand up to run her fingers through his shortened hair.

"It's so short! Why did you cut it??" she wanted to know. Hiro gave a shrug.

"I didn't need it long. Besides, it was getting more and more difficult to deal with. …You don't like it?" he asked earnestly, noticing the way she looked at him.

She smiled to put his mind at ease. "It looks good on you, but it's just so…**different.** It's gonna take getting used to," the eighteen-year-old replied. Hiro's eyes widened.

"…Will you be around long to get used to it…?" he asked, unable to keep the pleading tone out of his voice. And Sakura heard it too. Her expression softened, and she wound her arms around the twenty year old's neck, pulling him down to meet her lips with his own. They stayed like that for a while, not caring if anyone else saw, just content with being together.

"I missed you," Hiro whispered against Sakura's lips, his forehead leaning against hers.

"I missed you too. I knew that if I didn't come see you tonight that I'd go crazy. …Well, more than usual," Sakura admitted, smiling serenely.

"AHEM," a certain auburn-haired twin cleared her throat quite loudly, trying to hide the amusement on her face. She was successful in catching Sakura and Hiro's attention, though they did not relinquish their hold on each other. "If you two are finished, it's time for the birthday cake and presents…that is, if Hiro's willing to JOIN us now," Hitori announced, the sarcasm in her voice obvious.

Sakura raised her eyebrows at Hiro, and he rolled his eyes. "Jeez, ALRIGHT already. Honestly, you women can't take no for an answer."

* * *

"Attention, everyone! Attention!" Himeno called, tapping a fork lightly to her champagne glass. The resulting sound drew everyone's attention in the room, and Himeno beamed, satisfied. "I propose a toast everyone. To the return of our beloved Golden Princess Pretear, Sakura! …Oh yes, and to the birthday boy and girl as well, I suppose," Himeno added as an afterthought, and the room erupted in laughter.

"Thank you, Himeno-san," Sakura responded, grinning.

Himeno shook off her thanks. "Thank _you_ for coming," she countered, sending a pointed look at her son. He was speaking with Saitoshi, whom was seated on his other side, but his right hand was firmly intertwined with Sakura's left, and he often paused in his conversation with the Knight of Sound to kiss her hand, as if to reassure himself that she was still there.

There was, to Hiro, a subtle difference about Sakura's left hand. For some reason, he just couldn't place it. After planting a kiss on her hand, he would often stare at it for a minute, studying it, trying to identify the change.

Sakura noticed him searching, and knew exactly what he was looking for. "My garnet ring isn't there anymore," she announced to him, after she had caught him staring at her left hand once again.

His eyebrows quirked. "Is _that_ what's different?" He wondered out loud, taking another look at Sakura's hand. And lo and behold, he realized she was right. The blood red gem with the gold band was indeed missing. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised. The ring was, after all, a symbol of Kenji's love for Sakura. But now that the jet black-haired teen's affections had switched to his sister, Hiro only thought it natural that Sakura would leave the ring behind.

"So, Sakura-chan," Yumi spoke up, sitting across from the eighteen-year-old, "how are things? How's your family?"

The bright smile faded from Sakura's cocoa face, her chocolate orbs abruptly sober. "It's been…" she paused, struggling for words, "hard. 'Tou-san and 'Kaa-san were NOTORIOUSLY angry when I came back. It didn't help matters when they found out about Tenshi either." Sakura cringed at some unknown memory. "Things have steadily been getting better, though. They've stopped ordering me around like a small child and, well, we've been able to talk more now. It's a nice change…" A small smile graced Sakura's lips. "It'd be even nicer if Tenshi were around to join it too…"

The room was quiet now, reminiscing about the past. It would indeed be nice to have the bright angel join them, if only for a while…

Suddenly, the double doors of the dining room flew open, and Kei rushed in, his normally coif blonde hair a wild mess about his head.

"I HAVE IT!" He cried to the room at large. Seconds passed in which everyone in the room just stared at him, uncomprehending. Quickly growing impatient of this silence, Kei brandished a wrinkled sheet of paper he was holding. "I have it! After two years of searching, I finally have it!!"

"Dad," Kato finally spoke up, getting up and clapping a hand on his father's shoulder, "I'm going to ask you straight out: what the hell are you talking about??"

Kei stared at his son in exasperation. "What do you _mean_ what am I talking about?! I found a way to bring back Tenshi-san!!"

The room froze for a moment. Then, in quick succession, every head turned towards Sakura. Her eyes large and doubting, she could only gape at Kei.

"………I think I need to lie down," was her reply and, without warning, the eighteen-year-old passed out.

* * *

"He WHAT?!" shrieked Hiniku's voice through Sakura's cell phone and into her ear. The dark-skinned woman jerked away from the phone, wincing.

"I _said_—!"

"I HEARD you!!" Hiniku quickly interrupted. "But…SERIOUSLY?? He found a way to bring Tenshi **back**?? As in, from the _dead_?? Jeez, is there ANYTHING you superheroes _can't _do?!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, disregarding the fact that Hiniku couldn't see her. "Anyways, that's the deal. Kei says we need _all_ of Tenshi's ashes, meaning Kai has to get here ASAP. But, in actuality, how soon **can** you two get here?"

"You rang?" asked a loud voice behind Sakura, and she whirled around to find an Asian girl about her height grinning at her.

"Wow, _that_ was fast!!" Sakura exclaimed, and they hugged one another, giggling.

Hiniku had **definitely** grown into her age. Her shiny onyx hair was layered and framed her Asian face, which was actually level with Sakura's now. She wore a black baby tee that had a white dragon winding its way around the front and back of the shirt with white capris to match. Black sandals adorned her feet, and yin-yang bracelets covered her wrists. In appearance, she grew up, but in essence, not so much.

"Your parents told me you were coming back here, so we decided to tag along! Secretly, of course," Hiniku informed her friend, winking. Registering the "we" part, Sakura glanced behind the not-so-short Asian. As she expected, Kai was there. The now nineteen-year-old Russian hadn't changed much over the past two years, except that his eyes were more frozen then they had ever been. Losing Tenshi had been a gigantic blow, and the Russian began to retreat within himself more and more with her gone. Sakura's grin faltered a little; she still couldn't shake the feeling, when around him, that she was responsible for his beloved's death.

"Hey, Kai. How are you?" Sakura asked politely. Kai's cold eyes fixed on her, and a chill that had nothing to do with the autumn weather coursed through Sakura's body. But, as she watched, Sakura saw that the frost in Kai's crimson orbs began to melt a bit as he spoke to her.

"Is it true? Did they really, _truly_ find a way to bring her back? I won't hand over my share of the ashes if it isn't true," Kai muttered, his voice gruff with repressed emotion. Sakura felt her chocolate orbs soften in understanding.

"They're going to try, Kai. But we have to hurry up and get inside. No one can know what we're doing. Let's go," the eighteen-year-old beckoned, and she led the way into the mansion. Everyone was waiting in the living room where, two years ago, the first generation of Leafe Knights had appeared to speak to Sakura about how it was back when they were in charge. They were all congregated here again, but on different terms this time. The somber atmosphere made Sakura uneasy; it was like someone had died again, rather than they were bringing someone back to life.

"'Ku-chan!" cried a voice in greeting, and a bush of wavy red hair with a girl under it threw itself at Hiniku.

"Whoa! Garnet, look at you! You got so tall! No fair, I had to wait _two years_ to hit puberty!" Hiniku complained, and she and Garnet burst into laughter. Sakura gestured to Kai to follow her, and they left Garnet and Hiniku to catch up while Himeno stood in the middle of the room, waiting for them. Yumi was there as well, and she smiled at Kai, who nodded in response. All of Tenshi's ashes, once separated, were now brought together again: three star-shaped caskets held by the Tsunami family, Sakura, and Kai. There was also an urn that contained the rest of Tenshi's ashes, which was kept concealed in Leafenia, until now.

"Is everything ready?" Kei asked as he strode over, clad in his Knight of Light outfit. Sakura gave him a questioning look, but he was looking at Himeno. Himeno nodded without any hint of amusement. This made Sakura frown: what the heck was with the melancholy mood? Shouldn't everyone be excited?

"Alright then, everyone. I need the first generation of Leafe Knights up front now. It's time," Himeno announced.

A very strange thing happened just then. Many of the wives of the elder generation of Leafe Knights burst into heartbroken tears, and the Leafe Knights went out of their way to hug their children tightly, as if they would never see each other again.

A sense of foreboding bid its way into Sakura's mind. Something was seriously wrong with this picture. Something the others were neglecting to tell her.

"Wait a minute," she began, but Hiro appeared out of nowhere and held her back, his hands gentle but restraining upon her shoulders. He held a grim look, and was staring hard at his parents, like he was trying to etch their image into his mind forever. Sakura, getting more confused by the second, looked across the room, trying to find Hitori, and was further shocked to see that the twenty year old appeared to be sobbing into Kenji's shoulder, and he was patting her back with a pained expression. "Hiro, what the hell is going on?" Sakura demanded to know, staring up at the Knight of Wind.

"In order for this ritual to work," Kei answered instead, turning to Sakura, "we need Leafe. An absurd amount of it. So, for us to bring Tenshi back, we need the all the power of the original Leafe Knights, and the power of the White Pretear."

"…Hang on," Sakura began again, her cocoa skin creased as she scowled. "You make it sound like—"

The grim looks she received from everyone in the room confirmed Sakura's fears.

"NO!" she protested, now positively struggling to get away from Hiro's grip. She wanted desperately to shake some sense into Himeno and the elder generation of Leafe Knights—to do anything that would persuade them to reconsider. "You can't do this! Trading all of your lives for Tenshi's doesn't seem right! There _has_ to be another way! There has to!"

"We know what we're doing, Sakura," Hayate spoke up, "we've been preparing for this since we found out there could be a way to bring Tenshi back."

"You can't!" Sakura cried out again, her panic making her almost hysterical. "You can't do this!"

"Don't you want to see Tenshi again?" Kei cut in, his voice harsh.

"Well, yes, but—!"

"Then yes, we **can** do this, thank you very much," the original Knight of Light countered, a smug look crossing his features, as if he had proved a long and difficult equation to be true. "Besides, when the time comes for us to leave, we Leafe Knights will expel all the Leafe we hadn't used before we 'die', so to speak. And then, one of two things can happen: either the earth will absorb the remaining Leafe from our faded bodies, _or_ all of that Leafe will fall into the wrong hands. The chances of that aren't very high, but I'm not willing to take **any** chances. Are you?" Kei challenged.

Sakura paused, her heart aching, as she stared at every single face of the elder generation of Leafe Knights. Hayate, Sasame, Kei, Goh, Mannen, Hajime, and Shin. And then she looked at the families they would be leaving behind. The eighteen-year-old looked up at Hiro, her face forlorn. "……Is this _really_ the right thing to do…?" she whispered, searching Hiro's auburn eyes for comfort.

A loud sniffle was heard from across the room, and Hitori stepped forward, her normally bright eyes dulled with grief. But a determined blaze was also burning brightly behind the veil of sorrow in her irises. "We took your sister away from you when we asked you to be our Pretear, Sakura. This is the _least_ we can do to pay you back," she said, her voice low but earnest.

"But I—!" Sakura started, but only to be hushed by Hiro.

"Let them bring your sister back, Saku. It's what they want to do…" the Knight of Wind reasoned. Sakura stared at him, and then at the elder generation of Leafe Knights. Tears clouded her chocolate orbs, but she refused to let them fall.

"If…if you all are sure…" she stuttered, still reluctant to let this happen. But all the first generation of Leafe Knights had their faces set. They were ready, that much was certain.

"On the count of three, then," said Himeno and, with a brilliant flash, she transformed into the White Pretear. "One," she began.

"Two," Hayate continued, and the elder generation of Leafe Knights, with the White Pretear, positioned their hands around Tenshi's ashes. Steadily, beams of Leafe began to form at their palms.

"Three!" Kei cried. All at once, beams of Leafe were released, making Tenshi's ashes glow with a divine light. Sakura, Kai and Hiniku all watched the ashes with bated breath.

'_Could this really work…?_' Sakura wondered to herself, her hands clasped tight together.

Minutes that seemed like eras passed, and Sakura could see that the first generation of Leafe Knights and Himeno were beginning to get tired, their strength waning from their facial features.

"Ugh…now, Kenji!" Kei roared, sounding like it took all of his strength to say those three words. Sakura turned with bewildered chocolate orbs to her ex-boyfriend. He planted a kiss on Hitori's forehead, who hugged him for a final time before he stepped up to the glowing ashes.

"Wait…" Sakura started, confused as all get-out. Kenji offered her a smile as he explained.

"There's another catch to the spell: in order for us to bring back Tenshi, we need a life for a life…more specifically, the life that claimed hers. Mine," he clarified, when Sakura continued to look puzzled. The eighteen-year-old's confusion quickly turned to horror. "Don't start. I've already agreed to it," the nineteen-year-old interrupted, cutting Sakura off efficiently before she could get going. "You may have forgiven me, Sakura, but I'll never be able to live with myself if I don't do this. So, say "sorry" to Tenshi for me, okay?"

Kenji smiled once more at Sakura, and then he turned around and added his own beam of Leafe to the ashes, though this one was darker than the others. But it couldn't be helped, since he was the Prince of Darkness at one point in time.

As she watched her friends struggle to bring her sister back, silent tears rolled down Sakura's cheeks. But she smiled at the self-sacrificing party.

"Minna-san…thank you," Sakura thanked them, also on the behalf of Hiniku and Kai, since they seemed to be moved beyond words at this point.

It was then that the room was engulfed in a light so bright that it blinded the families of the original Leafe Knights, Sakura, Kai and Hiniku. When it finally died down, the elder Leafe Knights, Himeno, and Kenji were gone.

Tenshi's ashes were also gone, but in their place was a brightly lit being, the features non-distinguishable. Sakura's heart thudded. Was it possible…?

"……Tenshi……?" The eighteen-year-old asked, taking a step forward.

Suddenly, the brightness was gone, and the features came into perfect view: long, mahogany tresses that flowed down to the girl's lower back, with irises to match. She wore faded blue jeans that nearly obscured her black flip-flops, and the light blue camisole she wore underneath her black v-neck shirt matched her jeans. In the left lower corner of her black v-neck were three silver stars, with the two smaller ones orbiting the biggest one. The locket that Sakura gave her for her sixteenth birthday adorned her neck, and of course, ice-blue bangs framed the girl's face.

There was no mistaking the young woman now. It was definitely their angel, the one and only Tenshi.

"TENSHI!!" Sakura positively cried, rushing forward, along with Hiniku, Yumi and Himura. Afterwards, when looking back on it, Sakura felt bad for coming at Tenshi like that, because the eighteen-year-old was befuddled, for one thing, and somehow exhausted when she was brought back to life. After the girls and Tenshi's little brother nearly smothered the reborn young woman with hugs and tears, a new person approached. Sensing his presence, the others moved away to let Kai through.

The ice in his crimson irises had completely melted away, and was replaced by the fire Sakura and Hiniku had both thought had died long ago in him: the fire that could only be labeled as "passion".

"Ten…" he whispered, stopping within arms length of the eighteen-year-old. Tenshi's confusion finally subsided when she looked into the eyes of the man she had continued to love even into the afterlife.

"Kai…" she finally spoke up, and, without warning, she flung herself into his aching arms. Though they were both older, she still fit perfectly in his arms, and he buried his face in her hair.

"I thought I had lost you forever…" the Russian blader admitted, and Tenshi was both shocked and touched to find that his voice was thick with unshed tears. Her grip on him tightened.

"You didn't lose me, Kai. I was always with you, whether you knew it or not. But now you'll never have to worry about losing me ever again. I promise," she muttered, tears of happiness escaping her mahogany irises.

"Awww," Sakura and Hiniku crooned together, just because they were so happy to have their friend back that they had to begin teasing her right away. Tenshi rolled her eyes at them, but she grinned nonetheless.

"It's good to be back," the star-obsessed young woman admitted, greeting the room at large with a warming smile. "But I have a question: technically, I _did _die. So if I suddenly reappear on the face of the earth, how is everyone gonna take this? And more importantly, what are we gonna do about the legal issues??"

Sakura rolled her eyes at her friend/sister. "You're here for no more than ten minutes, and **already** you're trying to find faults in the plan that so many people gave their lives for. Shame on you, Tensh. Shame. On. You," the eighteen-year-old teased. Tenshi's face abruptly became serious at this, however.

"Yeah. I sort of…passed them on the way back," she informed Sakura, an expression in her eyes that could only be described as guilt. "I can't believe they would do so much for me. I owe them big time, I guess."

Sakura shook her head at her sister. "If anything, **I** owe them big time, Tensh. They did this not only for you, but for me too. They felt that…since I sacrificed everything to be their Pretear…that they needed to pay me back. I'm eternally grateful for them…" The eighteen-year-old stopped speaking, too choked up from emotion to continue. Hiro came up behind her and gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

"Well then," Hitori spoke up at last; she had been unusually quiet, but no one could blame her. She had, after all, lost her parents and her lover all in one day. But the twenty year old did her best to smile. "We had better make sure that they all didn't die in vain, right? Tenshi: no more jumping in front of stray spears, you hear? And Sakura: if you're serious about owing them, then I have a way for you to make it up to them. Marry my brother and start a new family here," Hitori demanded, a devilish grin spread across her features.

"Hitori!" Hiro protested, blushing furiously, but Sakura's response was calmer.

"Okay," she agreed easily. Jaws dropped and eyes bugged as nearly everyone gaped at Sakura as if she had lost her head, Hiro included.

"You're…you're serious…?" he asked, looking incredulous. Sakura couldn't help herself. She had to laugh at his expression.

"Yes, I am serious. Um…if you'll have me, that is," the eighteen-year-old amended shyly. Hiro stared into her chocolate orbs, his auburn irises searching for the lie. But when he found none, his face broke into a miracle grin that made him look so handsome it made Sakura blush. Bending down, he pecked the Pretear—_his_ Pretear—on the lips.

"Always," he promised.

**Several Years Later**

"Hah! It's no use trying to defeat me, mortal! I am all-powerful!" shouted a little girl with mocha-colored skin and bright chocolate brown eyes. Her dark hair was laced with lighter streaks of auburn, and she was busy chasing a little boy with spiky blue hair and crimson irises.

"Oh noes! Spare me, oh powerful being!" the boy pleaded, though he was laughing like he was insane. His legs, slightly longer than the girl's, were carrying him farther and farther away from the girl, who was not taking this too well.

"Oh, you wanna play _that_ way, huh? Alright then, here come the big guns!!" the girl warned. Maneuvering her hands in a strange and complicated pattern, the little girl managed to blast a powerful wind attack from her hands. It overtook the boy and threw him up into the air, suspending him there, much to the girl's amusement.

"Uwaaaaah!!" the boy cried, surprise and fear mingling in his expression. "Put me down! I don't wanna play anymore!! This isn't funny!!"

"No way!" the girl cackled, positively rolling on the floor laughing, "this is way too funny to stop now!"

"KIREI HIMENO AWAYUKI!!" roared a female voice, and the girl called Kirei sobered up at once.

"Aww, busted," she groaned, turning around to face her mother with a chagrined expression.

Chocolate brown orbs with much more years of experience than the ones that stared up at her bored down at the young girl. The furious mother was a darker color than her daughter's skin, and her dark brown hair was long enough to brush her mid-back. The woman appeared to be in her mid to late twenties, looking stylish even in a pair of black slacks and a purple tee shirt. A purple flower choker decorated her neck, and on her left ring finger glinted a diamond ring, the silver band adorned with smaller garnet stones. The woman impatiently brushed away her side-swept bangs to glare at her child with both eyes.

"Put. Him. **Down**," the mother demanded, her voice distorted because she was growling through her teeth. Kirei winced. She hated it when her mother got like this. After all, Kirei was only trying to have a little fun.

Nonetheless, the little girl obeyed and, with a flick of her wrist, the boy was back on the ground, panting and trying to regain his equilibrium.

"Kirei," the woman began again, and Kirei braced herself for a good nagging. "How many times must I tell you not to misuse your powers before you actually _listen_ to me? I am not kidding, young lady. If I catch you doing it again, I'll confine you to training in the house instead of Leafenia, _do you hear me_?"

"Y-yes, Momma," Kirei muttered, her eyes lowered so they wouldn't have to look up at the scary woman who raised her. The woman nodded, satisfied.

"Good. Now go apologize to Phoenix. And, while you're at it, you can go tell Aunt Tenshi what you were just up to as well," the woman ordered. Kirei's head snapped up to meet her mother's gaze, horror-struck.

"Aw, Mom! She's gonna mutilate me!" the little girl complained. Her mother hid a smirk behind her left hand.

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you started tossing people into the air, ne? Go," the woman commanded once more, pointing towards the mansion. Kirei hung her head, muttered an apology to her cousin, and then trudged back towards the mansion. Her mother watched her go, victory in her chocolate orbs. A low chuckle sounded behind her, and the woman was suddenly aware that she wasn't alone.

"You're terrible, Saku-chan," Hiro's voice scolded, though his amusement at the situation slightly ruined the effect.

"_You're_ the terrible one, Hiro Awayuki. Didn't I tell you not to rush her training?" Sakura reminded him, turning to shoot him an accusatory look out of the corner of her eye. Hiro rose his hands in defense, feigning innocence.

"Hey, I didn't teach her that. She learned it on her own. She's a quick learner, like her mother," he responded, hugging Sakura from behind. The dark-skinned woman was not moved.

"Flattery isn't going to get you out of the dog house, sir," she informed him.

"Feisty as ever, hm? Your attitude only worsens with age, it seems," he teased, pecking his wife on the cheek. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't change the subject, Hiro. You need to teach your daughter some manners, like, pronto. If she's supposed to be the new Knight of Wind, she's going to have to take this responsibility very seriously," Sakura said. Hiro chuckled again.

"I'm not worried about that. She'll learn soon enough if you keep turning her in to your vicious sister."

"Hey, she's just lucky Tenshi's in a good mood today. It's her and Kai's anniversary today, you know. Though, that may not be enough to suppress her rage if Kirei has scarred her son…" Sakura paused, looking at the mansion, as if waiting for something.

Right on cue, a loud shriek was heard all the way from the mansion.

"YOU WHAT?!" the voice that was unmistakably Tenshi's roared. A few seconds later, Sakura and Hiro could hear Kirei's yelps and her running feet, and they could easily picture their daughter fleeing the wrath of Tenshi and her Wooden Stick of Doom.

"…Yeah. Kirei's going to learn manners very quickly," Hiro assured his wife, and the two burst out laughing.

"Well, let's just hope the next one doesn't have your hard head, ne?" Sakura jested as she rubbed her stomach. It took a second for Hiro to digest this.

"Wait a minute…are you saying—?" he began, but Sakura interrupted him by giggling.

"What do you think, Genius?" she asked. Hiro let out a whoop and picked Sakura up bridal-style.

"Oi, Kirei!" he called as he carried his wife back to the mansion, "you're going to have a baby brother soon!"

"Wait a minute, who says it's a boy, huh?"

"Well, you already had the daughter you wanted so badly. It's my turn to get what I want."

"Cheh. I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but nature doesn't work that way."

"Says who?"

"Says **me** for one thing. And you just can't cheat nature."

"Oh yeah? Bet you I can find a way."

"Aw, see, now I'm going to have _twins_ because of your plotting."

"Oh no, don't you **even** go there with me, okay? I definitely don't need Double Trouble twice in my life."

"Too late, it feels like twins now."

"Take it back."

"Nah, I wouldn't mind having twins."

"Quit joking and take it back."

"I'm not joking, I really want twins!"

"Take it back!"

"No!"

**OWARI**


End file.
